Shloka 54

Pāṇḍu’s Marriages, Conquests, and Triumphal Return (पाण्डोर्विवाह-विजय-प्रत्यागमनम्)

Devanagari script

सा धर्मतो<नुनीयैनां कथंचिद्‌ धर्मचारिणीम्‌ | भोजयामास वितष्रांश्र देवर्षीनतिथींस्तथा,कौसल्या धर्मका आचरण करनेवाली थी। सत्यवतीने धर्मको सामने रखकर ही उसे किसी प्रकार समझा-बुझाकर (बड़ी कठिनतासे) इस कार्यके लिये तैयार किया। उसके बाद ब्राह्मणों, देवर्षियों तथा अतिथियोंको भोजन कराया

Transliteration

sā dharmato 'nunīyaināṁ kathaṁcid dharmacāriṇīm | bhojayāmāsa vīta-tṛṣṇān devarṣīn atithīṁs tathā ||

Translation

ధర్మాన్ని దృష్టిలో ఉంచుకొని ఆమె ధర్మాచరణలో నిబద్ధమైన ఆ స్త్రీని ఏదో విధంగా ఒప్పించింది. అనంతరం బ్రాహ్మణులకు, లోకాసక్తి లేని దేవర్షులకు, అతిథులకు కూడా భోజనం పెట్టి అతిథి-ధర్మాన్ని, ఆచారాన్ని నెరవేర్చింది.

Word by Word

साshe

धर्मतःfrom/according to dharma; on grounds of righteousness

अनुनीयhaving persuaded

एनाम्her

कथंचित्somehow; with difficulty

धर्मचारिणीम्a woman who practices dharma

भोजयामासcaused to eat; fed

विततान्spread out; arranged (i.e., seated/assembled)

देवर्षीन्divine seers

अतिथीन्guests

तथाalso; likewise

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

devarṣi (divine seers)

atithi (guests)

brāhmaṇa (Brahmins, implied by the context of feeding)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is upheld not only through major vows but through concrete acts: persuading others without coercion and honoring Brahmins, seers, and guests through proper hospitality. Ethical action is shown as alignment with righteous duty and social-religious responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker narrates that a woman, guided by dharma, manages—though with difficulty—to persuade another righteous woman to agree to a certain course of action; afterward she performs the customary duty of feeding Brahmins, divine seers, and guests, emphasizing ritual propriety and hospitality.