Shloka 10

Chapter 49: Sañjaya’s Enumeration of the Pāṇḍava Coalition (पाण्डवसैन्यसमागम-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच गावल्गणिस्तु तत्पृष्ट: सभायां कुरुसंसदि । निःश्वस्य सुभृशं दीर्घ मुहु: संचिन्तयन्निव

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca gāvalgaṇis tu tatpṛṣṭaḥ sabhāyāṃ kurusaṃsadi | niḥśvasya subhṛśaṃ dīrghaṃ muhuḥ saṃcintayann iva ||

Translation

ویشَمپاین نے کہا—کورو سبھا میں یوں پوچھے جانے پر گاولگَنی نے نہایت گہری، بھاری اور طویل آہ بھری، اور بہت دیر تک گویا بار بار سوچتا رہا۔

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

गावल्गणिःGāvalgaṇi

तुbut/indeed

तत्that

पृष्टःhaving been asked

सभायाम्in the assembly

कुरु-संसदिin the Kuru court/assembly

निःश्वस्यhaving sighed

सुभृशम्very greatly

दीर्घम्long (a long sigh)

मुहुःagain and again

संचिन्तयन्pondering

इवas if

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Gāvalgaṇi

Kuru assembly (Kuru-saṃsad / sabhā)

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 highlights the ethical seriousness of speech in a royal court: before giving counsel or testimony that may affect many lives, a wise person pauses, reflects, and feels the burden of responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Kuru court, Gāvalgaṇi is questioned. He responds first not with words but with a deep sigh and visible contemplation, indicating that the matter is grave and that his forthcoming reply carries significant consequences.