Shloka 62

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच स पुत्रस्य वच: श्रुत्वा विराटो राष्ट्रवर्धन: । क्षमयामास कौन्तेयं भस्मच्छन्नमिवानलम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | sa putrasya vacaḥ śrutvā virāṭo rāṣṭravardhanaḥ | kṣamayāmāsa kaunteyaṃ bhasmacchannam ivānalam ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang marinig ni Haring Virāṭa—na tagapagpalago ng kanyang kaharian—ang sinabi ng kanyang anak, humingi siya ng tawad kay Yudhiṣṭhira, anak ni Kuntī, na bagama’t nakatago sa anyo, ay nagliliyab sa lakas na parang apoy na natatabunan ng abo.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

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

• पुत्रस्य: of (his) son
• पुत्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active

• विराटः: Virata (the king)
• विराटः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राष्ट्रवर्धनः: increaser of the kingdom
• राष्ट्रवर्धनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राष्ट्रवर्धन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षमयामास: begged pardon / asked forgiveness
• क्षमयामास: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (causative: क्षमय-)
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• कौन्तेयम्: Kunti's son (Yudhishthira)
• कौन्तेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भस्मच्छन्नम्: covered with ash
• भस्मच्छन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्मच्छन्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• इव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अनलम्: fire
• अनलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Virāṭa
• Virāṭa's son (Uttara)
• Kaunteya (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• fire (anala)
• ashes (bhasma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True authority is strengthened by humility: when a ruler recognizes concealed excellence and admits fault, he upholds dharma. The metaphor of fire under ashes teaches that virtue and power may be hidden by disguise or circumstance, yet remain real and worthy of respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing his son’s statement, King Virāṭa realizes the true stature of the Kuntī-born Yudhiṣṭhira (living incognito) and seeks his pardon, acknowledging that Yudhiṣṭhira’s brilliance was present though outwardly concealed.