Shloka 17

Udyoga Parva 142: Vidura’s warning to Kuntī and Kuntī’s resolve to meet Karṇa

Gaṅgātīra encounter begins

Devanagari script

अपस्व्या मृगा: सर्वे धार्तराष्ट्रस्य केशव । वाचश्नचाप्यशरीरिण्यस्तत्‌ पराभवलक्षणम्‌

Transliteration

apasavyā mṛgāḥ sarve dhārtarāṣṭrasya keśava | vācaś cāpy aśarīriṇyas tat parābhava-lakṣaṇam ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—హే కేశవా! ధృతరాష్ట్రుని కుమారుని ఎడమ వైపునుంచి అన్ని మృగాలు వెళ్తున్నాయి; అతడు మళ్లీ మళ్లీ దేహం లేని వాణిని—వక్త కనిపించని మాటలను—వింటున్నాడు. ఇది అతని పరాజయలక్షణం.

Word by Word

• अपसव्याः: moving on the left/inauspiciously (to the left)
• अपसव्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपसव्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मृगाः: deer/animals
• मृगाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धार्तराष्ट्रस्य: of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana)
• धार्तराष्ट्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• केशव: O Keśava
• केशव: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वाचः: voices/words
• वाचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

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

• अपि: also/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अशरीरिण्यः: bodiless (having no visible speaker)
• अशरीरिण्यः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशरीरिणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पराभव-लक्षणम्: a sign of defeat
• पराभव-लक्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराभव-लक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Keshava (Krishna)
• Dhartarashtra’s son (Duryodhana)
• wild animals (mṛgāḥ)
• disembodied voices (aśarīriṇyaḥ vācaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames moral causality through omens: when a leader persists in adharma, nature and unseen forces are portrayed as signaling an approaching downfall. It underscores that unethical resolve invites ruin, even before the battlefield decides it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Krishna that Duryodhana is encountering inauspicious portents—animals moving to his left and disembodied voices—traditional indicators that his enterprise will end in defeat.