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Game 8

Question:
केशवं पतितं दृष्ट्वा 
पाण्डवा हर्षनिर्भराः ।
रुदन्ति कौरवास्सर्वे 
हा हा केशव केशव ॥

keshavaM patitaM dRuShTvaa 
paaNDavaa harShanirbharaaH |
rudanti kauravaassarve 
haa haa keshava keshava ||

Exposition:
This one's a spinner!

केशवं पतितं दृष्ट्वा
पाण्डवाः हर्ष-निर्भराः ।
रुदन्ति कौरवाः सर्वे
हा हा केशव केशव ॥
keshavaM patitaM dRuShTvaa
paaNDavaaH harSha-nirbharaaH |
rudanti kauravaaH sarve
haa haa keshava keshava ||

Meaning:
Seeing the fallen keshava,
the paaNDava-s were filled with ecstasy
All the kaurava-s were crying
O keshava, O keshava!



Answer:
Hmmm..., interesting scenario, isn't it?!!  The paaNDava-s rejoicing whereas kaurava-s lamenting for keshava?!!  Almost looks like the poet made a mistake in placing the words!  (keshava is one of the many names of Lord kRuShNa.  He was called so after he slayed a demon named keshi.)

Well, let's see some special words in the verse here -
केशव if split as के शव means 
     के (seventh case of कं shabda) - in the water
     शव - cadaver (dead body)
           dead body in the water
पा अण्डवाः  
     पा - water
     अण्डवाः - those born from eggs 
             fish are born in the water from eggs
कौ रवाः  
     कौ - horrible
     रवाः - noise
             wolves/fox howl with a horrible cry

Now, the meaning becomes, 
On seeing the cadaver fallen in the water, the fish were ecstatic (that was a feast for them) whereas the wolves were lamenting as they could not get a bite of the dead body in the water!

Phew, now that makes more sense, doesn't it :).
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