Shloka 13
शोकाकुल-युधिष्ठिरं प्रति कुन्त्याः कालोचितोपदेशः | Kuntī’s Timely Counsel to the Grief-Stricken Yudhiṣṭhira
Devanagari script
तत: शोकपरीतात्मा सधूम इव पावक: । निर्वेदमगमद् धीमान् राजा संतापपीडित:
Transliteration
tataḥ śokaparītātmā sadhūma iva pāvakaḥ | nirvedam agamad dhīmān rājā santāpapīḍitaḥ ||
Translation
于是，那位贤明的国王，内心为哀痛所围困，又为忧苦所煎迫，沉入厌离之境。恰如烟缠之火，他仿佛在胸中暗燃——愁云蔽心，遂背离生命与王权的种种诱惑。
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
Formअव्यय
शोक-परीत-आत्माwhose self was overwhelmed by grief
शोक-परीत-आत्मा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + परीता (कृदन्त, √इ/√या परि-)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
स-धूमःsmoke-laden, with smoke
स-धूमः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधूम (प्रातिपदिक) सह
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
इवlike, as if
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
Formअव्यय
पावकःfire
पावकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपावक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
निर्वेदम्dispassion, weariness (with the world)
निर्वेदम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनिर्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
अगमत्went to, attained
अगमत्:
TypeVerb
Root√गम्
Formलुङ् (अङ्गत्-आगम), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
धीमान्wise, intelligent
धीमान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
राजाking
राजा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
संताप-पीडितःafflicted by anguish
संताप-पीडितः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपीडित (कृदन्त, √पीड्) + संताप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaY
YudhiṣṭhiraR
rājā (the king)P
pāvaka (fire)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how profound grief can mature into nirveda—disenchantment with worldly power—prompting ethical reflection on the costs of violence and the responsibilities of kingship.
After the catastrophic war, Yudhiṣṭhira is mentally engulfed by sorrow and distress; he appears like a smoke-covered fire, burning inwardly, and he turns toward detachment from life’s pleasures and royal rule.