Shloka 54

Devanagari script

क्षत्तारं कुरुराजस्तु शनै: कर्ण उपाजपत्‌ । उत्तर: प्रविशत्वेको न प्रवेश्या बृहन्नला,तब जाते हुए सेवकके कानमें युधिष्ठिरने धीरेसे कहा--“पहले अकेले राजकुमार उत्तर ही यहाँ आवें। बृहन्नलाको साथमें न ले आना”

Transliteration

kṣattāraṃ kururājas tu śanaiḥ karṇa upājapat | uttaraḥ praviśatv eko na praveśyā bṛhannalā |

Translation

అప్పుడు కురురాజు యుధిష్ఠిరుడు వెళ్లుచున్న సేవకుని చెవిలో మెల్లగా అన్నాడు—“ముందుగా ఉత్తర రాజకుమారుడే ఒంటరిగా లోపలికి రానివ్వు; బృహన్నలాను వెంట తీసుకురావద్దు.”

Word by Word

क्षत्तारम्the chamberlain/attendant (Kṣattā)

कुरुराजःthe Kuru king

तुbut/indeed

शनैःslowly, softly

कर्णेin (his) ear

उपाजपत्muttered/whispered (to)

उत्तरःUttara (the prince)

प्रविशतुlet (him) enter

एकःalone, single

नnot

प्रवेश्याis to be made to enter / should be brought in

बृहन्नलाBṛhannalā (Arjuna in disguise)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira (Kururāja)

Kṣattṛ (attendant/chamberlain)

Karṇa (attendant/messenger)

Uttara (Prince of Virāṭa)

Bṛhannalā (Arjuna in disguise)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic prudence: speech should be measured and actions timed wisely. Yudhiṣṭhira’s quiet instruction shows ethical restraint—protecting a vulnerable situation (disguise, reputation, safety) through careful procedure rather than impulsive display.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Virāṭa’s court, Yudhiṣṭhira discreetly instructs an attendant to admit Prince Uttara alone and not to bring Bṛhannalā (Arjuna in disguise) with him, indicating a controlled, strategic arrangement for the next encounter.