Shloka 12

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Permission for Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

ततो निष्क्रम्य नृपतिस्तस्मादन्त:पुरात्‌ तदा

Transliteration

tato niṣkramya nṛpatis tasmād antaḥpurāt tadā | catvāraḥ sacivā yasya bhrātaro vipulaujasaḥ || lokapālasamā dyote sarvadharmārthadarśinaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说道：于是国王从内宫而出。随侍者为四位辅臣——皆是他的亲兄弟，勇力雄健——光辉如护世诸神，洞察达摩与利（artha）之全义。（就上下文而言，此段强调：他们决不怀偏私之心；而坚战在毗摩、阿周那、那俱罗与娑诃提婆环卫之下，将依古圣之道，正直地护民治国。）

Word by Word

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

• निष्क्रम्य: having gone out
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष्+क्रम्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तस्मात्: from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, singular

• अन्तःपुरात्: from the inner palace (harem/royal apartments)
• अन्तःपुरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• तदा: at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सचिवाः: ministers, counselors
• सचिवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सचिव
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• यस्य: whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• भ्रातरः: brothers
• भ्रातरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• विपुलौजसः: of great vigor/energy
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल-ओजस्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• लोकपालसमाः: equal to the guardians of the worlds
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोकपाल-सम
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• द्युतिमन्तः: radiant, splendid
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्युतिमन्त्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सर्वधर्मार्थदर्शिनः: knowers/observers of all dharma and artha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-धर्म-अर्थ-दर्शिन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• nṛpati (the king; contextually Yudhiṣṭhira)
• antaḥpura (inner palace)
• four brothers/ministers (contextually Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva)
• lokapāla (world-guardians, directional regents)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Righteous governance depends on impartiality and wise counsel: the ruler should be supported by advisors who understand both dharma (moral duty) and artha (practical welfare/statecraft), so that protection of the people is steady and just.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes the king emerging from the inner palace, attended by four powerful brothers serving as his ministers, portrayed as radiant and discerning—setting the scene for assurances of stable, dharmic rule and protection of the populace.