Shloka 43

Udyoga Parva 142: Vidura’s warning to Kuntī and Kuntī’s resolve to meet Karṇa

Gaṅgātīra encounter begins

Devanagari script

उष्ट्प्रयुक्तमारूढौ भीष्मद्रोणी महारथौ | मया सार्ध महाबाहो धार्तराष्ट्रेण वा विभो,“महाबाहु जनार्दन! मैंने स्वप्नमें देखा, भीष्म और द्रोणाचार्य दोनों महारथी मेरे तथा दुर्योधनके साथ ऊँट जुते हुए रथपर आरूढ़ हो दक्षिण दिशाकी ओर जा रहे थे। विभो! इसका फल यह होगा कि हमलोग थोड़े ही दिनोंमें यमलोक पहुँच जायँगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

uṣṭa-prayukta-mārūḍhau bhīṣma-droṇī mahā-rathau |

mayā sārdhaṃ mahā-bāho dhārtarāṣṭreṇa vā vibho ||

Translation

उष्ट्रप्रयुक्तमारूढौ भीष्मद्रोणौ महारथौ। मया सार्धं महाबाहो धार्तराष्ट्रेण वा विभो स्वप्ने दक्षिणतो गतौ।

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sañjaya said', 'uṣṭa': 'camel', 'prayukta': 'yoked, harnessed', 'ārūḍhau': 'having mounted

• seated upon (dual)', 'bhīṣma-droṇī': 'Bhīṣma and Droṇa (dual compound)', 'mahā-rathau': 'great chariot-warriors (dual)', 'mayā sārdham': 'together with me', 'mahā-bāho': 'O mighty-armed one (address)', 'dhārtarāṣṭreṇa': 'with the son/descendant of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (i.e., Duryodhana) / with Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s party', 'vā': 'or', 'vibho': 'O Lord, O mighty one (address)', 'dakṣiṇa-diś': 'southern direction (implied by context)', 'yama-loka': 'the world/realm of Yama, the abode of death (implied by context)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Droṇa
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (via dhārtarāṣṭra)
• Duryodhana (implied by dhārtarāṣṭra)
• Yama (implied by yama-loka)
• camel-yoked chariot

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Mahābhārata theme that adharma-driven conflict invites ominous signs and inevitable destruction; even the greatest warriors are subject to fate, and wise counsel should heed warnings before catastrophe becomes unavoidable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a dream-omen: Bhīṣma and Droṇa, instead of a noble chariot, ride a camel-yoked chariot and move south—symbolically toward Yama’s direction—indicating imminent death for the Kaurava side (including Duryodhana) in the coming war.