Mahabharata 3.21.11 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

आहुकस्य वचो वीर तस्यैव परिचारक: । विषण्ण: सन्नकण्ठेन तन्निबोध युधिछिर

Transliteration

āhukasya vaco vīra tasyaiva paricārakaḥ | viṣaṇṇaḥ sannakaṇṭhena tannibodha yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

Hỡi dũng sĩ, một gia nhân của Āhuka (Ugrasena) đã đến, lòng u uất, giọng nghẹn nơi cổ. Hỡi Yudhiṣṭhira, hãy lắng nghe kỹ lời nhắn ông ta truyền đạt. Cảnh ấy nhấn mạnh rằng việc tường thuật chân thật tin dữ, dẫu đau đớn, vẫn là bổn phận; và một minh vương phải tiếp nhận những lời ấy với sự vững vàng và sáng suốt phân định.

Word by Word

• आहुकस्य: of Āhuka
• आहुकस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहुक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वचः: message/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वीर: O hero
• वीर: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• परिचारकः: attendant/servant
• परिचारकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिचारक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विषण्णः: dejected/sorrowful
• विषण्णः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषण्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सन्: being
• सन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (सत्/सन्)
• Form: Present (participle), Singular

• नकण्ठेन: with a choked/throaty voice
• नकण्ठेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकण्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तत्: that (message)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निबोध: understand/listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Āhuka (Ugrasena)
• paricāraka (servant/attendant)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even distressing truth must be conveyed faithfully, and a dharmic ruler should receive grave news with composure, attentive listening, and readiness to act rightly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva reports that a sorrowful attendant of Āhuka/Ugrasena arrives and, with a choked voice, delivers an important message for Yudhiṣṭhira to hear.