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Shloka 3

Akrūra in Hastināpura: Kuntī’s Lament and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Moral Instruction

यथावदुपसङ्गम्य बन्धुभिर्गान्दिनीसुत: । सम्पृष्टस्तै: सुहृद्वार्तां स्वयं चापृच्छदव्ययम् ॥ ३ ॥

yathāvad upasaṅgamya bandhubhir gāndinī-sutaḥ sampṛṣṭas taiḥ suhṛd-vārtāṁ svayaṁ cāpṛcchad avyayam

甘底尼之子阿克鲁罗依礼拜见诸亲族。众人向他询问亲友近况,他也反过来问候他们的安康与不衰的福祉。

यथावत्duly
यथावत्:
Prakāra (प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथावत् (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘properly/duly’)
उपसङ्गम्यhaving approached
उपसङ्गम्य:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउप + सम् + गम् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having approached/met’
बन्धुभिःwith relatives
बन्धुभिः:
Sahakāraka (सह/साधन)
TypeNoun
Rootबन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/सह), बहुवचन
गान्दिनी-सुतःthe son of Gāndinī (Akrura)
गान्दिनी-सुतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगान्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘son of Gāndinī’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
सम्पृष्टःbeing asked
सम्पृष्टः:
Karta (कर्ता) (of passive sense)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + प्रछ् (धातु) → सम्पृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘having been asked’
तैःby them
तैः:
Kartṛ (कर्ता) (in passive construction)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
सुहृत्-वार्ताम्news about friends
सुहृत्-वार्ताम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसुहृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + वार्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘news of friends’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
स्वयम्himself
स्वयम्:
Karta-nirdeśa (कर्ता-निर्देश)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वयम् (अव्यय)
Formकर्तृवाचक-अव्यय (reflexive adverb: ‘himself’)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
अपृच्छत्asked
अपृच्छत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्रछ् (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
अव्ययम्fully/without omission (lit. unfailing)
अव्ययम्:
Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of what was asked)
TypeAdjective
Rootअव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वार्ताम्/प्रश्नम् इत्यर्थे ‘unfailing/unchanging’ (intensively: ‘in detail/without omission’)
A
Akrūra
G
Gāndinī

FAQs

This verse shows Akrūra approaching his kinsmen “yathāvat”—in the fitting, respectful manner—and exchanging inquiries about everyone’s well-being, presenting social conduct as part of dharma.

Because Akrūra had come from significant events connected to the Yādavas, his family naturally asked for “suhṛd-vārtā”—news of their well-wishers—before other matters.

Meet people respectfully, ask sincerely about their welfare and the well-being of those they care about, and maintain steady composure—courtesy is also a form of devotion and dharma.