Shloka 1

Kuntī’s Retrospective Uddharṣaṇa and Renunciatory Resolve (कुन्त्युद्धर्षण-प्रत्याख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

ऑपन-माज बक। डिश चतुर्विशो$ध्याय: पाण्डवों तथा पुरवासियोंका कुन्ती

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tataḥ te pāṇḍavā dūrād avatīrya padātayaḥ | abhijagmur narapater āśramaṁ vinayānvitāḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：随后，般度五子在尚隔一段距离时便下了车乘，改以步行，怀着谦恭之心走近国王的林居道场。此景彰显敬礼之德：纵为战胜的君王，亦能抑制傲慢，以朴素举止礼敬长者与苦行者。

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डवाः: the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दूरात्: from afar
• दूरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अवतीर्य: having descended/alighted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-तॄ
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पदातयः: on foot; footmen
• पदातयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अभिजग्मुः: went/approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Plural

• नरपतेः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरपति
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• आश्रमम्: hermitage
• आश्रमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विनयात्: out of humility/with deference
• विनयात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनय
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• narapati (the king, contextually Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• āśrama (hermitage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights vinaya (humility) as a dharmic virtue: even powerful figures show restraint and reverence by dismounting and approaching elders/ascetics on foot, signaling respect and self-control.

What is happening in the narrative?

After reaching the vicinity of the forest dwelling, the Pāṇḍavas get down from their vehicles at a distance and walk to the king’s hermitage, approaching respectfully to meet the elders living there.