Shloka 216

गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः

Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings

Devanagari script

देवर्षि पर्यपृच्छत्‌ स यथा वृत्तं कुरून्‌ प्रति । वे उस स्थानपर गये, जहाँ तेजस्वी बलराम बैठे हुए थे। उन्होंने उठकर नियम और व्रतका पालन करनेवाले देवर्षिका भलीभाँति पूजन करके उनसे कौरवोंका समाचार पूछा

Transliteration

devarṣiḥ paryapṛcchat sa yathā vṛttaṃ kurūn prati |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Vị thiên tiên (devarṣi) hỏi tường tận về mọi việc đã xảy ra liên quan đến nhà Kuru. Rồi họ đến nơi Balarāma rực rỡ đang ngồi; đứng dậy, họ cung kính cúng dường vị devarṣi—người kiên định trong giới luật và lời nguyện—và hỏi ngài tin tức về các Kaurava, mong được nghe sự thật giữa sức nặng đạo lý của cuộc chiến.

Word by Word

• देवर्षिम्: the divine sage
• देवर्षिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पर्यपृच्छत्: asked, inquired
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• यथा: how, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वृत्तम्: what happened; the event
• वृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुरून्: the Kurus (Kauravas/Pandavas as a group)
• कुरून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रति: towards; concerning; with regard to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Devarṣi
• Kurus
• Kauravas
• Balarāma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war, dharma is upheld through truthful inquiry and proper reverence: disciplined sages are honored, and decisions are guided by accurate accounts rather than rumor or passion.

What is happening in the narrative?

A devarṣi asks for a detailed report of events concerning the Kurus. The characters go to where Balarāma is seated, rise to honor the vow-observing sage, and then request news about the Kauravas.