Shloka 4

भीष्मपतनविषये धृतराष्ट्रस्य प्रश्नाः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Questions on Bhīṣma’s Fall

Devanagari script

निकारो निकृतिप्रज्जै: पाण्डवैस्त्वत्प्रतीक्षया | अनुभूत: सहामात्यै: क्षान्तश्न सुचिरं वने

Transliteration

nikāro nikṛtiprajñaiḥ pāṇḍavaistvatpratīkṣayā | anubhūtaḥ sahāmātyaiḥ kṣāntaś ca suciraṁ vane ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“般度五子深知加诸其身的侮辱与欺诳，却仍与群臣久居林野，忍受艰辛而不失其忍耐；只因他们始终望向大王，盼你能依正义而行。”

Word by Word

• निकारेण: by insult/disrespect
• निकारेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकारा
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निकृतिप्रज्ञैः: by those aware of deceit/treachery
• निकृतिप्रज्ञैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निकृतिप्रज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पाण्डवैः: by the Pandavas
• पाण्डवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तु: but/however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• त्वत्-प्रतीक्षया: by waiting/looking to you (in expectation of you)
• त्वत्-प्रतीक्षया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वत्प्रतीक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनुभूतः: was experienced/endured
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√भू
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• अमात्यैः: with ministers/counsellors
• अमात्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• क्षान्तम्: endured/borne
• क्षान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• सुचिरम्: for a very long time
• सुचिरम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुचिर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• forest (vana)
• ministers/counsellors (amātya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when wronged, the Pāṇḍavas practice kṣamā (forbearance) and restraint, not from ignorance but from ethical discipline and hope that rightful authority will uphold justice; the verse also implies a ruler’s duty to respond to injustice rather than allow it to fester.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reminds the king that the Pāṇḍavas clearly knew they had been insulted and deceived, yet they accepted prolonged hardship in forest-exile with their advisers, waiting for the king to act justly toward them.