Shloka 403

Vyāsa’s Boon-Offer and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse in the Forest Assembly (आश्रमवासिक पर्व, अध्याय ३६)

Devanagari script

पौराणां च महाराज श्रुत्वा राज्ञस्तदा गतिम्‌ । महाराज! उनके अन्तःपुरमें उस समय महान्‌ आर्तनाद होने लगा। राजाकी वैसी गति सुनकर पुरवासियोंमें भी हाहाकार मच गया

Transliteration

paurāṇāṃ ca mahārāja śrutvā rājñas tadā gatim |

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు చెప్పెను—ఓ మహారాజా! ఆ సమయంలో రాజు యొక్క అటువంటి గతి విని అంతఃపురంలో భయంకరమైన ఆర్తనాదం లేచింది. తరువాత పట్టణవాసులు కూడా ఆ వార్త విన్నపుడు, దుఃఖశోకాలతో నిండిన మహా హాహాకారం వ్యాపించింది.

Word by Word

• पौराणाम्: of the townspeople/citizens
• पौराणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• राज्ञः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तदा: then/at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• गतिम्: course/condition/end (fate)
• गतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahārāja (addressee, traditionally Janamejaya)
• the king (rājā, implied)
• royal inner apartments (antaḥpura, implied by context)
• citizens/townspeople (paurāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the inevitability of impermanence: even a king’s passing brings collective sorrow, reminding readers that worldly status cannot prevent loss and that dharma includes facing grief with awareness of life’s transience.

What is happening in the narrative?

News of the king’s fate spreads. First, the women and attendants in the royal inner quarters raise a loud lament; then the townspeople, hearing the same, erupt in a public outcry.