Shloka 12

आर्जुन–गन्धर्वसंवादः

Arjuna–Gandharva Dialogue on Honor, Night-Power, and Purohita-Nīti

Devanagari script

अनाथा कृपणा बाला यत्रक्वचनगामिनी । भविष्यामि त्वया तात विहीना कृपणा सदा,“पिताजी! आपके बिना मैं सदाके लिये दीन और असहाय हो जाऊँगी, अनाथ और दयनीय समझी जाऊँगी। अरक्षित बालिका होनेके कारण मुझे जहाँ कहीं भी जानेके लिये विवश होना पड़ेगा

Transliteration

anāthā kṛpaṇā bālā yatra kvacana-gāminī | bhaviṣyāmi tvayā tāta vihīnā kṛpaṇā sadā ||

Translation

తండ్రీ! మీరులేక నేను ఎప్పటికీ దయనీయంగా, అసహాయంగా మారిపోతాను—అనాథగా, కరుణార్హంగా భావించబడతాను. రక్షణలేని బాలికనై, ఎక్కడికైనా వెళ్లాల్సి వస్తుంది; నిశ్చిత ఆశ్రయం ఉండదు.

Word by Word

अनाथाwithout protector, orphaned

कृपणाwretched, pitiable

बालाgirl, young maiden

यत्रwhere

क्वचनsomewhere, anywhere

गामिनीgoing, having to go

भविष्यामिI shall become

त्वयाby you / with you

तातdear father

विहीनाdeprived (of), bereft

कृपणाwretched, pitiable

सदाalways

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

tāta (father, addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic social ethic: the duty of guardianship and protection toward a vulnerable dependent, especially an unprotected young girl. It underscores how loss of a protector can lead to insecurity, social marginalization, and forced wandering.

What is happening in the narrative?

A young girl, speaking emotionally to her father, laments that if she is separated from him she will be left helpless and socially exposed, compelled to seek shelter wherever possible. The line conveys fear of abandonment and the precariousness of being without protection.