Shloka 69

Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ

Devanagari script

स वै विवदनाद्‌ भीत: सुधन्वानं विलोकयन्‌ । त॑ सुधन्वाब्रवीत्‌ क्रुद्धो ब्रह्म॒दण्ड इव ज्वलन्‌

Transliteration

sa vai vivadanād bhītaḥ sudhanvānaṃ vilokayan | taṃ sudhanvābravīt kruddho brahmadaṇḍa iva jvalan ||

Translation

普罗诃罗陀因这场争辩而心生畏惧，目光频频投向苏陀汉梵。此时苏陀汉梵怒焰腾起，犹如梵天惩罚之杖炽燃，开口说道——

Word by Word

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

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• विवदनात्: from the dispute/quarrel
• विवदनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवदन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• भीतः: frightened
• भीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुधन्वानम्: Sudhanvan (name), (as object of seeing)
• सुधन्वानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विलोकयन्: looking at
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लोक्
• Form: Present active participle (Parasmaipada), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सुधन्वा: Sudhanvan (name)
• सुधन्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मदण्डः: the Brahma-rod (rod of Brahmanic punishment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मदण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• ज्वलन्: blazing
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्वल्
• Form: Present active participle (Parasmaipada), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Prahlāda
• Sudhanvā
• Brahmadaṇḍa (rod of Brahmā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how conflict and fear can precipitate harsh, punitive speech; it implicitly warns that anger, even when framed as justice, must be governed by dharma and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Prahlāda, alarmed by an ongoing dispute, looks to Sudhanvā for response. Sudhanvā, burning with anger and likened to Brahmā’s punitive rod, begins to speak—signaling an escalation in the confrontation.