Shloka 28

अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः

Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory

Devanagari script

स्‍्नुषाभि: संवृतां शश्वत्‌ ताराभिरिव रोहिणीम्‌ । अभिवाद्य स गान्धारीं तया च प्रतिनन्दित:

Transliteration

snuṣābhiḥ saṃvṛtāṃ śaśvat tārābhir iva rohiṇīm | abhivādya sa gāndhārīṃ tayā ca pratinanditaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：她常被诸位儿媳环绕，宛如罗希尼女神为群星所拱卫；他恭敬俯首礼拜甘达丽，而甘达丽亦以慈和的允许回礼相迎。

Word by Word

• स्नुषाभिः: by/with the daughters-in-law
• स्नुषाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नुषा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• संवृताम्: surrounded/covered
• संवृताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संवृत (सम् + √वृ)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शश्वत्: always, continually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शश्वत्

• ताराभिः: by/with the stars
• ताराभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• रोहिणीम्: Rohiṇī (the nakṣatra)
• रोहिणीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहिणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिवाद्य: having saluted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √वद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

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

• गान्धारीम्: Gāndhārī
• गान्धारीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धारी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• प्रतिनन्दितः: welcomed, greeted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिनन्दित (प्रति + √नन्द्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Gāndhārī
• snuṣāḥ (daughters-in-law of the Kuru household)
• Rohiṇī
• tārāḥ (stars)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dhārmic social conduct: respectful salutation to elders and the reciprocal duty of elders to respond with gracious acceptance, reinforcing harmony and order within the family and court.

What is happening in the narrative?

A male figure (contextually understood from surrounding verses) approaches Gāndhārī, who is seated amid her daughters-in-law; he offers a formal salutation, and Gāndhārī responds by welcoming him approvingly.