Shloka 3

Gāndhārī’s Petition for a Vision of the Departed (गान्धार्याः प्रार्थना—दिव्यदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

यस्य पुत्रशतं श्रीमदभवद्‌ बाहुशालिन: । नागायुतबलो राजा स दग्धो हि दवाग्निना

Transliteration

yasya putraśataṁ śrīmad abhavad bāhuśālinaḥ | nāgāyutabalō rājā sa dagdho hi davāgninā ||

Translation

尤狄史提罗说道：“那位国王——光耀无比，臂力雄强，具万象之力（如一万头大象）——拥有辉煌的一百个儿子，却仍被林野大火焚烧而死。由此可知，即便最强盛、最富贵者也难逃命运之网；故当抑制傲慢，以谦卑之心依止达摩。”

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रशतम्: a hundred sons
• पुत्रशतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र-शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीमत्: splendid, illustrious
• श्रीमत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: was, came to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• बाहुशालिनः: of the strong-armed one
• बाहुशालिनः: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाहुशालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• नागायुतबलः: having the strength of ten thousand elephants
• नागायुतबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग-अयुत-बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दग्धः: burnt
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• दवाग्निना: by the forest-fire
• दवाग्निना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दव-अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• a king (unnamed in this verse)
• forest fire (davāgni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly greatness—sons, prosperity, and immense strength—does not guarantee safety. The verse underscores impermanence and the need to abandon pride, accepting human vulnerability while adhering to dharma with humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira cites an example of a supremely powerful and prosperous king who, despite having a hundred sons and extraordinary might, was consumed by a forest fire—used as a moral illustration about the fragility of life and fortune.