Shloka 3

नारदेन धृतराष्ट्रगतिवर्णनम् | Nārada’s Account of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Future Course

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्‌ हृदि न ते शोको राजन पुत्रविनाशज: । कच्चिउज्ञानानि सर्वाणि सुप्रसन्नानि तेडनघ,“राजन! अब कभी तुम्हारे मनमें अपने पुत्रोंके मारे जानेका शोक तो नहीं होता? निष्पाप नरेश! तुम्हारी समस्त ज्ञानेन्द्रियाँ निर्मल तो हो गयी हैं न?

Transliteration

kaccid hṛdi na te śoko rājan putravināśajaḥ | kaccid indriyāṇi sarvāṇi suprasannāni te 'nagha ||

Translation

రాజా! పుత్రవినాశమున జనించిన శోకము నీ హృదయమందు ఇక లేనిదా? అనఘ నరేశా! నీ సమస్త జ్ఞానేంద్రియములు ప్రసన్నమై నిర్మలమయ్యాయా?

Word by Word

कच्चित्whether, I hope (interrogative particle)

हृदिin (your) heart

नnot

तेof you/your

शोकःgrief

राजन्O king

पुत्र-विनाश-जःborn from the destruction of (your) sons

कच्चित्whether, I hope

ज्ञानानिcognitions/knowings; (by context) sense-faculties

सर्वाणिall

सुप्रसन्नानिvery clear/serene, well-pleased

तेof you/your

अनघO sinless one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

the King (rājan; addressed person)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and psychological work of recovery after catastrophic loss: grief must be acknowledged, yet the ideal is a return to clarity (prasāda) of mind and senses so that one can live (or renounce) in accordance with dharma rather than remain ruled by sorrow.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses the king with compassionate concern, asking whether the grief caused by the death of his sons has subsided and whether his inner faculties have become calm and purified—signaling a check on the king’s mental state in the post-war, late-life context of Āśramavāsa.