Shloka 4

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत मौसलपर्वमें श्रीकृष्णका परमधामगमनविषयक चौथा अध्याय पूरा हुआ,स वृष्णिनिलयं गत्वा दारुकेण सह प्रभो । ददर्श द्वारकां वीरो मृतनाथामिव स्त्रियम्‌ प्रभो! दारुकके साथ वृष्णियोंके निवासस्थानपर पहुँचकर वीर अर्जुनने देखा कि द्वारका नगरी विधवा स्त्रीकी भाँति श्रीहीन हो गयी है

Transliteration

sa vṛṣṇinilayaṃ gatvā dārukeṇa saha prabho | dadarśa dvārakāṃ vīro mṛtanāthām iva striyam ||

Translation

Тогда доблестный Арджуна, сопровождаемый Дарукой, достиг обители Вришниев. Там он увидел Двараку — лишённую владыки и былой славы, — словно женщину, ставшую вдовой: её блеск угас, и опора безопасности исчезла.

Word by Word

सःhe (that one)

वृष्णि-निलयम्the abode of the Vrishnis

गत्वाhaving gone

दारुकेणwith Daruka

सहtogether with

प्रभोO lord

ददर्शsaw

द्वारकाम्Dvaraka

वीरःthe hero

मृत-नाथाम्whose lord is dead (widowed)

इवlike, as if

स्त्रियम्a woman

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Dāruka

Vṛṣṇis

Dvārakā

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical and spiritual reflection on impermanence: worldly prosperity and protection depend on the sustaining presence of dharma and its upholders. When that support is withdrawn, even a celebrated realm becomes vulnerable and loses its radiance—prompting detachment and sober responsibility in the survivors.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the calamity that befalls the Yādavas, Arjuna arrives at the Vṛṣṇis’ settlement with Dāruka and sees Dvārakā emptied of its former splendor—described poignantly as like a widow, i.e., a city bereft of its lord (Kṛṣṇa) and protectors.