Shloka 13

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Permission for Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

समवेतांश्व॒ तान्‌ सर्वान्‌ पौरान्‌ जानपदांस्तथा

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | samavetāṁś ca tān sarvān paurān jānapadāṁs tathā | brahmo va bhagavān eṣa sarvabhūta-jagat-patiḥ | (evam eva mahābāhur bhīmārjuna-yamair vṛtaḥ |) yudhiṣṭhiro mahātejā bhavataḥ pālayiṣyati ||

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说道：“凡此聚集于此的城民与乡民——这位坚战，臂力雄伟、光辉赫奕，身旁有毗摩、阿周那与双生兄弟（那俱罗、娑诃提婆）环卫——必将以同样的方式护佑你们。如同梵天，吉祥的万有之主、众生与世界之君，他将不怀偏私地守护你们，正如古之义人所行。”

Word by Word

• समवेतान्: assembled, gathered
• समवेतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समवेत (सम्+आ+इ √इ → समवेत)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पौरान्: townsmen/citizens
• पौरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जानपदान्: countryfolk/people of the realm
• जानपदान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानपद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: also, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्मा)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• भगवान्: the blessed/lordly one
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एष: this (one)
• एष: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (एषद्-प्रयोग)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतजगत्पतिः: lord of all beings and the world
• सर्वभूतजगत्पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवतः: of you (all)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• पालयिष्यति: will protect/govern
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पाल् (पालयति)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīma
• Arjuna
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Brahmā
• paurāḥ (citizens)
• jānapadāḥ (countryfolk/subjects)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s legitimacy is grounded in impartial protection of all subjects. Yudhiṣṭhira is presented as an ethical ruler whose duty (rājadharma) is to maintain order and welfare like a cosmic guardian—governing without bias and supported by capable brothers.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes an address to assembled citizens and countryfolk, assuring them that Yudhiṣṭhira—attended by Bhīma, Arjuna, and the twins—will continue to protect and govern them properly, likened to Brahmā as a model of sustaining the world’s order.