SB 10.49.1 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच स गत्वा हास्तिनपुरं पौरवेन्द्रयशोऽङ्कितम् । ददर्श तत्राम्बिकेयं सभीष्मं विदुरं पृथाम् ॥ १ ॥ सहपुत्रं च बाह्लीकं भारद्वाजं सगौतमम् । कर्णं सुयोधनं द्रौणिं पाण्डवान् सुहृदोऽपरान् ॥ २ ॥

Verse text

śrī-śuka uvāca sa gatvā hāstinapuraṁ pauravendra-yaśo-’ṅkitam dadarśa tatrāmbikeyaṁ sa-bhīṣmaṁ viduraṁ pṛthām saha-putraṁ ca bāhlīkaṁ bhāradvājaṁ sa-gautamam karnaṁ suyodhanaṁ drauṇiṁ pāṇḍavān suhṛdo ’parān

Synonyms

śrī — śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said ; saḥ — he (Akrūra) ; gatvā — going ; hāstina — puram — to Hastināpura ; paurava — indra — of the rulers of the dynasty of Pūru ; yaśaḥ — by the glory ; aṅkitam — decorated ; dadarśa — he saw ; tatra — there ; āmbikeyam — the son of Ambikā (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) ; sa — together with ; bhīṣmam — Bhīṣma ; viduram — Vidura ; pṛthām — Pṛthā (Kuntī, the widow of King Pāṇḍu) ; saha — putram — with his son (namely, Somadatta) ; ca — and ; bāhlīkam — Mahārāja Bāhlīka ; bhāradvājam — Droṇa ; sa — and ; gautamam — Kṛpa ; karṇam — Karṇa ; suyodhanam — Duryodhana ; drauṇim — the son of Droṇa (Aśvatthāmā) ; pāṇḍavān — the sons of Pāṇḍu ; suhṛdaḥ — friends ; aparān — other .

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Akrūra went to Hastināpura, the city distinguished by the glory of the Paurava rulers. There he saw Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Bhīṣma, Vidura and Kuntī, along with Bāhlika and his son Somadatta. He also saw Droṇācārya, Kṛpācārya, Karṇa, Duryodhana, Aśvatthāmā, the Pāṇḍavas and other close friends.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Akrūra went to Hastināpura, the city distinguished by the glory of the Paurava rulers. There he saw Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Bhīṣma, Vidura and Kunti, along with Bāhlika and his son Somadatta. He also saw Droṇācārya, Kṛpācārya, Karṇa, Duryodhana, Aśvatthāmā, the Pāṇḍavas and other close friends. KB 10.49.1-2 Thus ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Akrūra visited Hastināpura, said to be the site of what is now New Delhi. The part of New Delhi still known as Indraprastha is accepted by people in general as the old capital of the Pāṇḍavas. The very name Hastināpura suggests that there were many hastīs, or elephants; because the Pāṇḍavas kept many elephants in the capital, it was called Hastināpura. Keeping elephants is very expensive; to keep many elephants, therefore, the kingdom must be very rich, and Hastināpura, as Akrūra saw when he reached it, was full of elephants, horses, chariots and other opulences. The kings of Hastināpura were taken to be the ruling kings of the whole world. Their fame was widely spread throughout the entire kingdom, and their administration was conducted under the good counsel of learned brāhmaṇas. After seeing the very opulent capital city, Akrūra met King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He also saw grandfather Bhīṣma sitting with him. After meeting them, he went to see Vidura and then Kuntī, Akrūra’s cousin. One after another, he saw King Bāhlīka and his son Somadatta, Droṇācārya, Kṛpācārya, Karṇa and Suyodhana. (Suyodhana is another name of Duryodhana.) Then he saw the son of Droṇācārya, Aśvatthāmā, as well as the five Pāṇḍava brothers and other friends and relatives living in the city.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

This chapter describes Akrura going to Hastinapura, and , after understanding Dhrtarastra’s ill treatment of the Pandavas, his return to Mathura. Going to Hastinapura, marked with the fame of the Puru dynasty, with temples and brahmana’s houses constructed by them, Akrura saw Dhrtarastra (ambikeyah), Bahlika with his son Somadatta, Drona (baradvajah), and Krpa (Gautamah) and the rest.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

First it was proper that Akrūra see the king. Then he met Bhīṣma, since he was the best of the Kurus. But when he came they were sitting together so he saw them both at the same time (sa-bhīṣmam). He then met Vidura since he was their intimate associate. He then met Kuntī since he was Akrūra’s sister. He then met Bāhlīka who was the elders of the Kurus. As he was searching for the Pāṇḍavas he saw their teacher Droṇācārya and then his assistant Kṛpācārya. He then saw Karṇa and other children who were studying with them. He met the Pāṇḍavas last to show his neutrality and to give them instructions on dharma. Instead of sa-gautamam sometimes ca gautamam is seen. The ca means api (even) to indicate that Droṇācārya, though a brāhmaṇa was included in the kṣatriyas. “Others” refers to Śakuni and others.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

Two verses are connected. Akṛūra, whose good qualities have been mentioned (saḥ), going to Hastinapura, saw there in the assembly (tatra), Dhṛtarāṣṭra and others. They are all mentioned together because he saw them at the same time. Bhīṣma is mentioned with him because he was near him Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was sitting on the throne, in order to get his approval on all matters. Bhīṣma was on his right and Vidura was on his left as a minister. Others were seated around. Or Bhīṣma was with Vidura. The two were seated together because of affection for each other, having similar proper conduct. Because Kuntī (pṛthām) was seated near them she is mentioned after the two. The word ca means others. Bāhlīka was with his son. The second ca (instead of sa-gautamam) means api. Though Droṇa (bhāradvājam) was a brāhmaṇa he sat among them. The other version with ca indicates that the Droṇa sat with Kṛpācārya. The list is from the king’s greater to lesser respect. Thus Bāhlika was respected by the king more than Droṇa, because he increased the clan. His son is mentioned with him because he was by his side. Or Bāhlika was respected as a grandfather. Karṇa is mentioned with Duryodhana because they were friends. The others are clear. The Pāṇdavas are mentioned last, being situated far away, and not being respected. Others indicates Śakuni, Duḥṣāsana and others.