Shloka 21

शल्यपर्वणि प्रथमाध्यायः — Karṇa-vadha-anantaraṃ Śalya-niyogaḥ, Saṃjayasya Dhṛtarāṣṭra-nivedanam

Devanagari script

तथा स विदह्वल: सूत: प्रविश्य नृपतिक्षयम्‌

Transliteration

tathā sa vidhahvalaḥ sūtaḥ praviśya nṛpati-kṣayam

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Thế rồi người đánh xe, run rẩy và rối bời, bước vào cung thất của nhà vua—mang theo sức nặng của tin dữ và gánh nặng đạo lý mà chiến tranh đặt lên những kẻ phải thuật lại hậu quả của nó.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

• विदह्वलः: agitated, bewildered
• विदह्वलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदह्वल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सूतः: charioteer
• सूतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• नृपति-क्षयम्: the king's abode/palace (lit. 'king-dwelling')
• नृपति-क्षयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति-क्षय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• sūta (charioteer/messenger)
• nṛpati (the king)
• nṛpati-kṣaya (the king’s residence)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even those not fighting—messengers, attendants, and charioteers—are morally and emotionally affected by war; the verse highlights the human cost and the burden of conveying painful truth within the royal sphere.

What is happening in the narrative?

A distressed sūta (charioteer/messenger) goes into the king’s residence, implying he is about to report urgent and troubling developments from the battlefield or court affairs.