Mahabharata · 4.1.1
॥
Devanāgarī
जनमेजय उवाच
कथं विराटनगरे मम पूर्वपितामहाः ॥
अज्ञातवासम् उषिता दुर्योधनभयार्दिताः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
janamejaya uvāca
kathaṃ virāṭanagare mama pūrvapitāmahāḥ ||
ajñātavāsam uṣitā duryodhanabhayārditāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
जनमेजयjanamejayaJanamejaya
उवाचuvācasaid
कथंkathaṃhow?
विराटनगरेvirāṭanagareVirata
ममmamamy, I have
पूर्वपितामहाःpūrvapitāmahāḥgreat, father
अज्ञातवासम्ajñātavāsamunrecognized, to know
उषिताuṣitāform of uṣitā
दुर्योधनभयार्दिताःduryodhanabhayārditāḥDuryodhana, wealth
Translation
Janamejaya asked: "How did my forefathers, tormented by fear of Duryodhana, live unrecognized in the city of Virata?"
Version
cc6adf19ddfb · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:58:59 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The question immediately shifts the narrative from forest austerity to the trial of concealment. Now dharma must be preserved not through open feats, but through the skill of remaining unnoticed.