Shloka 12

Devanagari script

राजर्ष नातिहृष्टोड्सि कच्चित्‌ क्षेमं तवानघ । क्व गतो5सि कुतश्वैदमप्रीतिस्थानमागतम्‌,*राजर्षे! तुम अधिक प्रसन्न नहीं दिखायी देते हो। निष्पाप नरेश! तुम्हारे यहाँ कुशल तो है न? कहाँ गये थे और किस कारण तुम्हें यह खेदका अवसर प्राप्त हुआ है?

Transliteration

rājarṣir nātihṛṣṭo ’si kaccit kṣemaṃ tavānagha | kva gato ’si kutaś caivam aprītisthānam āgatam ||

Translation

“اے راجرشی! تم بہت خوش نظر نہیں آتے۔ اے بےگناہ بادشاہ، سب خیریت تو ہے؟ تم کہاں گئے تھے، اور کس سبب سے یہ رنج و ناگواری تم پر آ پڑی ہے؟”

Word by Word

राजर्षेO royal sage (king-sage)

नnot

अतिvery, excessively

हृष्टःpleased, delighted

असिyou are

कच्चित्I hope?, is it the case that...?

क्षेमम्welfare, safety

तवof you, your

अनघO sinless one

क्वwhere?

गतःgone

असिyou are

कुतःfrom where? why? for what reason?

वैindeed

इदम्this

अप्रीति-स्थानम्cause/occasion of displeasure

आगतम्has come, has occurred

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

rājarṣi (royal sage/king addressed)

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?

A dharmic guide first inquires into a ruler’s welfare and the cause of inner disturbance; ethical counsel begins with attentive concern, not accusation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a king-like figure (called a rājarṣi), noticing his lack of cheer, and asks whether all is well and what event or journey has led to his present sorrow.