Shloka 13

Kīcaka-vadha-pratisaṃjñā: Rumor in Matsya and the Kaurava Scouts’ Report (कीचकवध-प्रतिसंज्ञा)

Devanagari script

तां दृष्टवा पुरुषा राजन प्राद्रवन्त दिशो दश । गन्धर्वाणां भयत्रस्ता: केचिद्‌ दृष्टवा न्‍न्यमीलयन्‌

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā puruṣā rājan prādravanta diśo daśa | gandharvāṇāṃ bhayatrastāḥ kecid dṛṣṭvā nyamīlayan ||

Translation

王啊，众人一见她，便向十方奔逃。因惧乾闼婆之威，有些人望见便闭目不敢再视，惊惶失措。

Word by Word

• ताम्: her/that (woman)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• पुरुषाः: men
• पुरुषाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्राद्रवन्: ran forth / fled
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• दश: ten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• गन्धर्वाणाम्: of the Gandharvas
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• भयत्रस्ताः: frightened with fear
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयत्रस्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• केचित्: some (of them)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• न्य: down, in (prefixal particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि

• अमीलयन्: closed (their eyes)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मील्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन
• राजन् (जनमेजय)
• पुरुषाः
• गन्धर्वाः
• दिशः (दश दिशः)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Fear distorts perception and conduct: when people believe a superior or unseen force is present, they may abandon composure and discernment, reacting with flight or denial (even closing the eyes) rather than steady judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaishampayana tells the king that, upon seeing a particular woman (tām), the men scattered in every direction; thinking of the Gandharvas and terrified, some even shut their eyes after looking, indicating sudden panic and helplessness.