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Shloka 20

आर्जुन–गन्धर्वसंवादः

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

ततः प्ररुदितान्‌ सर्वान्‌ निशम्याथ सुतस्तदा | उत्फुल्लनयनो बाल: कलमव्यक्तमब्रवीत्‌,तब उन सबको रोते देख ब्राह्मणका नन्‍्हा-सा बालक उन सबकी ओर प्रफुल्ल नेत्रोंसे देखता हुआ तोतली भाषामें अस्पष्ट एवं मधुर वचन बोला--

tataḥ praruditān sarvān niśamyātha sutas tadā | utphullanayano bālaḥ kalam avyaktam abravīt ||

ครั้นเห็นและได้ยินทุกคนร่ำไห้ เด็กน้อยนั้น—ดวงตาเบิกบานผ่องใส—ก็เอ่ยถ้อยคำด้วยเสียงเด็กที่ยังไม่ชัด คล้ายลิ้นพันกัน แต่หวานละมุน

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
FormAvyaya
प्ररुदितान्those who were weeping loudly
प्ररुदितान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootप्र-रुदित (√रुद्)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
सर्वान्all (of them)
सर्वान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
निशम्यhaving heard/observed
निशम्य:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-शम्य (√शम्/√शम् = to perceive, hear; gerund from √शम्/√शम् in sense 'to notice')
FormAvyaya (Gerund/Absolutive)
अथthen, and then
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
FormAvyaya
सुतःthe son
सुतः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसुत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तदाat that time
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
FormAvyaya
उत्फुल्ल-नयनःhaving bright/expanded eyes
उत्फुल्ल-नयनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्फुल्लनयन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बालःthe child
बालः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबाल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कलम-व्यक्तम्indistinctly, in a lisping/unclear manner
कलम-व्यक्तम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootकलमव्यक्त
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular (used adverbially)
अब्रवीत्said, spoke
अब्रवीत्:
TypeVerb
Root√ब्रू
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

वैशग्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśaṃpāyana (speaker)
S
sutaḥ (the child/son; unnamed here)
S
sarve (the weeping people; unnamed group)

Educational Q&A

The verse contrasts collective sorrow with a child’s untroubled, luminous presence, suggesting that innocence and gentle speech can soften grief and redirect attention from despair toward tenderness and human connection.

A group of people is crying; the child (described as bright-eyed) hears them and then speaks in an indistinct, childlike voice, marking a shift from lamentation to the child’s response.