Mahabharata (Gita Press) 3.21.10 - Vana Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 10

Dvārakā’s Distress and the Saubha Engagement (द्वारकाव्यग्रता तथा सौभयुद्धम्)

Devanagari script

अथ मां पुरुष: कश्रिद्‌ द्वारकानिलयोडब्रवीत्‌ | त्वरितो रथमभ्येत्य सौहदादिव भारत

Transliteration

atha māṃ puruṣaḥ kaścid dvārakā-nilayo ’bravīt | tvarito ratham abhyetya sauhṛdād iva bhārata ||

Translation

Rồi có một người dân Dvārakā lên tiếng với ta. Ông vội vã đến bên chiến xa ta và nói như thể vì tình thân mà lo lắng, hỡi dòng Bhārata. Cảnh ấy gợi rõ sự khẩn cấp của lời truyền đạt theo bổn phận: một sứ giả, lòng nặng ưu sầu, mang tin phải được nghe ngay, nhắc rằng lời khuyên đúng lúc và sự phụng sự trung thành cũng là những hình thái của dharma.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• अथ: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, accusative, singular

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• कश्चित्: someone/a certain
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: कश्चित्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• द्वारका-निलयः: dwelling in Dvārakā (a Dvārakā-resident)
• द्वारका-निलयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वारका-निलय
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd, singular

• त्वरितः: hastened/quick
• त्वरितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अभ्येत्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (एति)
• Form: absolutive (ktvā/lyap), active

• सौहृदात्: out of friendship/affection
• सौहृदात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौहृद
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)
• द्वारका (Dvārakā)
• रथ (chariot)
• भारत (Bhārata)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in action: loyal service and timely delivery of important news are ethical duties. Urgency joined with goodwill (sauhṛda) shows that right action is not only what is done, but how it is done—promptly, respectfully, and for the welfare of others.

What is happening in the narrative?

A man from Dvārakā rushes to the speaker’s chariot and speaks in a friendly manner, signaling that he is a messenger bringing urgent information that will affect the next course of events.