Shloka 3

Droṇācārya’s Assessment of the Pāṇḍavas: Nīti, Kāla, and Intelligence (विराटपर्व, अध्याय २६)

Devanagari script

अल्पावशिष्टं कालस्य गतभूयिष्ठमन्तत: । तेषामज्ञातचर्यायामस्मिन्‌ वर्षे त्रयोदशे,“इस तेरहवें वर्षमें पाण्डवोंके अज्ञातवासका अधिकांश समय बीत चुका है और थोड़े ही दिन शेष हैं

Transliteration

alpāvaśiṣṭaṁ kālasya gatabhūyiṣṭham antataḥ | teṣām ajñātacaryāyām asmin varṣe trayodaśe ||

Translation

ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า— ในปีที่สิบสามแห่งการพำนักโดยไม่ให้ผู้ใดรู้ของเหล่าปาณฑพ เวลาที่กำหนดได้ล่วงไปแล้วเป็นส่วนใหญ่; ณ ปลายทางนี้ เหลือเวลาอยู่อีกเพียงน้อยนิดเท่านั้น

Word by Word

अल्पlittle, small (amount)

अवशिष्टम्remaining

कालस्यof time

गतgone, elapsed

भूयिष्ठम्the greater part, most

अन्ततःat the end, finally

तेषाम्of them (of the Pandavas)

अज्ञातunknown, undisclosed

चर्यायाम्in the conduct/sojourn (living)

अस्मिन्in this

वर्षेin (the) year

त्रयोदशेin the thirteenth

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

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 underscores dharma as steadfast fidelity to a vow under pressure: when the end is near and risk is highest, restraint and careful conduct become the true test of integrity.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator marks that the Pandavas’ thirteenth year of living incognito is almost complete—most time has passed and only a little remains—setting up imminent developments where their concealment may be challenged.