Shloka 12

Devanagari script

त्रयोदशश्वैव सुदुस्तरो5य- मज्ञायमानैर्भवतां समीपे | क्लेशानसह्ा[ान्‌ विविधान्‌ सहद्धि- महात्मभिश्नापि वने निविष्टम्‌,इस तेरहवें वर्षको पार करना बहुत ही कठिन था, परंतु इन महात्माओंने आपके पास ही अज्ञातरूपसे रहकर भाँति-भाँतिके असहा क्लेश सहते हुए यह वर्ष बिताया है, इसके अतिरिक्त बारह वर्षोतक ये वनमें भी रह चुके हैं

Transliteration

trayodaśaś caiva sudustaro ’yam ajñāyamānaiḥ bhavatāṃ samīpe | kleśān asahān vividhān sahadbhiḥ mahātmabhiś cāpi vane niviṣṭam ||

Translation

இந்த பதின்மூன்றாம் ஆண்டு உண்மையிலேயே கடந்து செல்ல மிகக் கடினமானது. ஆயினும் அந்த மகாத்மாக்கள் உங்கள் அருகிலேயே அறியப்படாமல் இருந்து, பலவகைத் தாங்க முடியாத துன்பங்களைச் சகித்து அந்த ஆண்டையும் நிறைவேற்றினர். மேலும் அதற்கு முன் அவர்கள் பன்னிரண்டு ஆண்டுகள் வனத்திலேயே வாழ்ந்திருந்தனர்.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'trayodaśa', 'meaning': 'thirteenth (year)'}, {'term': 'sudustara', 'meaning': 'very difficult to cross/overcome'}, {'term': 'ayam', 'meaning': 'this'}, {'term': 'ajñāyamāna', 'meaning': 'not being recognized

• remaining unknown'}, {'term': 'bhavatām samīpe', 'meaning': 'in your presence/near you'}, {'term': 'kleśa', 'meaning': 'affliction, hardship, suffering'}, {'term': 'asaha', 'meaning': 'unbearable, intolerable'}, {'term': 'vividhān', 'meaning': 'various, manifold'}, {'term': 'sahadbhiḥ', 'meaning': 'enduring, bearing (patiently)'}, {'term': 'mahātmabhiḥ', 'meaning': 'by great-souled/noble persons'}, {'term': 'vane', 'meaning': 'in the forest'}, {'term': 'niviṣṭam', 'meaning': 'dwelt, stayed, settled (in)'}]

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Pāṇḍavas (implied: the 'mahātmānaḥ')
• Kauravas/Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s side (implied by 'bhavatām samīpe')
• Forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kṛṣṇa highlights the moral weight of the Pāṇḍavas’ fulfilled vow: they endured twelve years of forest exile and the extremely difficult thirteenth year in concealment, even while near their opponents. The ethical implication is that a rightful claim strengthened by disciplined endurance and truthfulness cannot be dismissed without adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the opening of Udyoga Parva, Kṛṣṇa argues on behalf of the Pāṇḍavas during the diplomatic phase before war. He reminds the Kaurava side that the Pāṇḍavas successfully completed both the forest exile and the incognito year, bearing severe hardships, and therefore their return and demands are legitimate.