Shloka 3

Gāndhārī’s Petition for a Vision of the Departed (गान्धार्याः प्रार्थना—दिव्यदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

यस्य पुत्रशतं श्रीमदभवद्‌ बाहुशालिन: । नागायुतबलो राजा स दग्धो हि दवाग्निना

Transliteration

yasya putraśataṁ śrīmad abhavad bāhuśālinaḥ | nāgāyutabalō rājā sa dagdho hi davāgninā ||

Translation

Wika ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “Ang haring iyon—maluwalhati, matipuno, at may lakas na tila sampung libong elepante—na may sandaang anak na maringal, ay nasunog pa rin hanggang kamatayan sa apoy ng gubat. Kaya’t maging ang pinakamakapangyarihan at pinakamasagana ay hindi nakalalampas sa tadhana; pigilin ang pagmamataas at kumapit sa dharma nang may kababaang-loob.”

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रशतम्: a hundred sons
• पुत्रशतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र-शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीमत्: splendid, illustrious
• श्रीमत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: was, came to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• बाहुशालिनः: of the strong-armed one
• बाहुशालिनः: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाहुशालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• नागायुतबलः: having the strength of ten thousand elephants
• नागायुतबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग-अयुत-बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दग्धः: burnt
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• दवाग्निना: by the forest-fire
• दवाग्निना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दव-अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• a king (unnamed in this verse)
• forest fire (davāgni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly greatness—sons, prosperity, and immense strength—does not guarantee safety. The verse underscores impermanence and the need to abandon pride, accepting human vulnerability while adhering to dharma with humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira cites an example of a supremely powerful and prosperous king who, despite having a hundred sons and extraordinary might, was consumed by a forest fire—used as a moral illustration about the fragility of life and fortune.