Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 336

Devanagari script

बाष्पविद्धलया वाचा राजानमिदमब्रवीत्‌ । रोषके आवेशमें भरकर उसने हाथपर हाथ दबाया और अभश्रुगद्गद वाणीद्वारा उसने राजा दुर्योधनसे इस प्रकार कहा--

Transliteration

bāṣpaviddhalayā vācā rājānam idam abravīt |

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—آنسوؤں سے بھری، گدگد آواز میں، غم و غضب کے جوش سے لبریز ہو کر اس نے بادشاہ سے یوں کہا۔

Word by Word

• बाष्प-विद्धलया: with a tear-choked (voice)
• बाष्प-विद्धलया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाष्पविद्धला
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वाचा: with speech/voice
• वाचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• the King (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied by the narrative frame)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of truthful reporting in times of catastrophe: even a loyal narrator like Sañjaya must speak what has happened, though emotion overwhelms him. It underscores how war forces witnesses and counselors to confront suffering without distortion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, overwhelmed with tears, begins to speak to the king within the main narration frame (Dhṛtarāṣṭra listening to the war report). The verse sets the emotional tone for the account that follows—news delivered with grief and urgency.