Shloka 31

अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः

Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory

Devanagari script

राजा धृतराष्ट्रने कुरुकुलको आनन्दित करनेवाले युधिष्ठिर तथा भीमसेन आदि अन्य चारों पाण्डवोंका मस्तक सूँघा ।।

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ kuru-kula-kānandita-karaṇe yudhiṣṭhiraṃ bhīmasenaṃ cānyaṃś ca catvāraḥ pāṇḍavān mūrdhānam āghrāya |

tato harṣaḥ samabhavat kauravāṇāṃ viśāṃ-pate |

tān dṛṣṭvā puruṣa-vyāghrān pāṇḍavān priya-darśanān janamejaya ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：持国王，令俱卢族欢悦者，满怀慈爱地嗅了由提施提罗、毗摩塞那以及诸般度子的头顶。于是，阇那美阇耶啊，见那些般度子——如虎般的英雄，仪容可亲——到来，俱卢众人皆大欢喜。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb)

• हर्षः: joy
• हर्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• समभवत्: arose/occurred
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भू
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• कौरवाणाम्: of the Kauravas
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा), indeclinable

• पुरुषव्याघ्रान्: tigers among men / best of men
• पुरुषव्याघ्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषव्याघ्र
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• पाण्डवान्: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• प्रियदर्शनान्: pleasant to behold
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियदर्शन
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• जनमेजय: O Janamejaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kuru dynasty
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīmasena
• Pāṇḍavas
• Kauravas
• Janamejaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic surface of royal and familial conduct—showing respect, affection, and welcome to kinsmen. It also invites reflection on how outward propriety can coexist with unspoken political rivalry, a recurring ethical tension in the epic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra greets the Pāṇḍavas with an affectionate gesture (smelling their heads), and the Kauravas feel joy upon seeing the heroic, pleasing-to-behold Pāṇḍavas arrive at court, as narrated by Vaiśampāyana to King Janamejaya.