Shloka 3
धृतराष्ट्रस्य सत्कारः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Honored in the Post-war Court
Devanagari script
कियन्तं चैव कालं॑ ते मम पूर्वपितामहा: । स्थिता राज्ये महात्मानस्तन्ये व्याख्यातुमहसि
Transliteration
kiyantaṃ caiva kālaṃ te mama pūrvapitāmahāḥ | sthitā rājye mahātmānas tan me vyākhyātum arhasi ||
Translation
阇那梅阇耶说道：“我的曾祖父们——心怀大德的般度五子——在他们的国土上稳坐王位多久？请为我详尽开示。”
Word by Word
कियन्तम्how much (extent)
कियन्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootकियत्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
कालम्time/period
कालम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकाल
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormNominative, Plural
ममof me/my
मम:
Sambandha
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
पूर्वपितामहाःforefathers/ancestors (lit. former grandfathers)
पूर्वपितामहाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपूर्वपितामह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्थिताःhaving remained/being established
स्थिताः:
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (धातु) → स्थित (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
राज्येin the kingdom/on the throne
राज्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootराज्य
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
महात्मानःgreat-souled ones
महात्मानः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहात्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तत्that
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
मेto me/for me
मे:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormDative, Singular
व्याख्यातुम्to explain
व्याख्यातुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootव्याख्या + कृ (धातु) → व्याख्यातुम् (तुमुन्)
अर्हसिyou ought/please (be so kind as to)
अर्हसि:
TypeVerb
Rootअर्ह्
FormPresent, Second, Singular
Speaker
जनमेजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
J
JanamejayaP
PāṇḍavasCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dhārmic inquiry: a responsible heir seeks an accurate account of ancestral rule, implying that kingship and moral legacy are to be understood through careful questioning and truthful narration.
Janamejaya asks the narrator to state, in detail, the length of time the Pāṇḍavas remained established in sovereignty after gaining their kingdom, setting up a chronological account within the Āśramavāsika narrative frame.