Mahabharata — Mahaprasthanika Parva, Shloka 19

अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः

The Commencement of the Great Departure

Devanagari script

ततः स राजा कौरव्यो धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर:

Transliteration

tataḥ sa rājā kauravyo dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

Translation

于是，那位俱卢之王——达摩之子尤提史提罗——继续前行，体现着道义的权威与责任；在其尘世旅程的终章，这正是他王者之职的本质所在。

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्ययम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• कौरव्यः: the Kaurava (descendant of Kuru)
• कौरव्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौरव्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• धर्मपुत्रः: Dharma's son
• धर्मपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपुत्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dharma
• Kuru dynasty (Kauravya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds Yudhiṣṭhira’s identity as “Dharmaputra,” implying that true authority is rooted in righteousness; even at life’s end, the king is defined less by power than by moral lineage and ethical steadfastness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Mahāprasthānika context, the narration turns to Yudhiṣṭhira as the central figure of the Great Departure; this line introduces him as the Kuru king and son of Dharma, preparing for the ensuing actions of his final journey.