Shloka 30

अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः

Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory

Devanagari script

राज्ञा मूर्थन्युपाप्रातास्ते च कौरवनन्दना: । चत्वार: पाण्डवा राजन्‌ भीमसेनपुरोगमा:

Transliteration

rājñā mūrdhny upāprātās te ca kauravanandanāḥ | catvāraḥ pāṇḍavā rājan bhīmasenapurogamāḥ ||

Translation

வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்—அந்தக் குருவம்ச இளவரசர்களும், பீமசேனன் முன்னணியில் இருந்த நான்கு பாண்டவர்களும் அரசரிடம் வந்து தலைவணங்கி அவர் முன் நின்றனர்।

Word by Word

राज्ञाby the king

मूर्धनिon (the) head

उपाप्राताःapproached / came near (having come up to)

तेthey

चand

कौरव-नन्दनाःsons/darlings of the Kauravas

चत्वारःfour

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

राजन्O king

भीमसेन-पुरोगमाःwith Bhimasena in front / led by Bhimasena

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

the king (rājā)

Kauravas (Kuru descendants)

Pāṇḍavas

Bhīmasena

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 courtly discipline and outward humility before authority; in the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such gestures can signify genuine respect or serve as formal decorum amid deepening rivalry, reminding readers to examine intention (bhāva) behind conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly context, the Kauravas and the four Pāṇḍavas—led by Bhīma—come before the king, presenting themselves with lowered heads as they approach, setting the scene for consequential proceedings in the court.