Shloka 14

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १२५: दुर्योधनस्य प्रत्युत्तरम्

Duryodhana’s Reply in the Kuru Assembly

Devanagari script

रत्नौषधिसमेतेन रक्ताड्गुलितलेन च । उपविष्टस्य पृष्ठ ते पाणिना परिमार्जतु

Transliteration

ratnauṣadhisametena raktāṅgulitalena ca | upaviṣṭasya pṛṣṭha te pāṇinā parimārjatu ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说：“以缀有宝珠与疗愈药草之掌，指端殷红如染者，使其在你端坐之时，轻轻摩拭你的背脊。”

Word by Word

• रत्नौषधि-समेतेन: with (something) furnished with jewels and herbs
• रत्नौषधि-समेतेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्नौषधि-समेत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• रक्त-अङ्गुलि-तलेन: with a palm whose fingers/hand-surface are red
• रक्त-अङ्गुलि-तलेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त-अङ्गुलि-तल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

• उपविष्टस्य: of (one) seated
• उपविष्टस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपविष्ट
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ते: of you / your
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• पाणिना: with the hand
• पाणिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• परिमार्जतु: let (him/her) rub/wipe
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-मृज्
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• hand (pāṇi)
• palm (tala)
• fingers (aṅguli)
• jewels (ratna)
• medicinal herbs (auṣadhi)
• back (pṛṣṭha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic care: soothing another person through respectful, healing service. It frames physical comfort—using remedies and gentle touch—as an ethical act aligned with compassion and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates an instruction or arrangement of personal attendance: as someone sits, another is to rub the person’s back with a hand associated with precious and medicinal substances, implying a deliberate act of soothing or treatment.