Shloka 21

Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)

Devanagari script

वीरुधश्रैव वक्षांश्व यज्ञार्थ वै तथौषधी: । पशुंश्चैव तथा मेध्यान्‌ यज्ञार्थानि हवींषि च

Transliteration

vīrudhaś caiva vṛkṣāṃś ca yajñārthaṃ vai tathauṣadhīḥ | paśūṃś caiva tathā medhyān yajñārthāni havīṃṣi ca |

Translation

قال ناكولا: من أجل اليَجْنَة (yajña) أخرج النباتات الزاحفة والأشجار، وكذلك الأعشاب الطبية؛ وخلق أيضًا الحيوانات الصالحة للطهارة الطقسية، مع القرابين (havis) المعدّة لشعائر القربان. ويصوّر هذا المقطع الخلق نفسه على أنه منظَّم نحو الدارما: فموارد العالم ليست للاستهلاك فحسب، بل للاستعمال المنضبط المُطهِّر عبر اليَجْنَة، التي تحفظ انسجام الكون والمجتمع.

Word by Word

• वीरुधः: creepers, vines
• वीरुधः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरुध्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

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

• एव: indeed, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• वृक्षान्: trees
• वृक्षान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• यज्ञार्थम्: for the sake of sacrifice
• यज्ञार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• औषधीः: medicinal herbs, plants
• औषधीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषधी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• पशून्: animals
• पशून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• एव: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• मेध्यान्: fit for sacrifice, pure (sacrificial)
• मेध्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेध्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यज्ञार्थानि: intended for sacrifice
• यज्ञार्थानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञार्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• हवींषि: oblations
• हवींषि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• yajña
• vines/creepers (vīrudh)
• trees (vṛkṣa)
• herbs (auṣadhī)
• animals (paśu)
• oblations (havis)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that creation is structured to support dharma through yajña: plants, animals, and oblations are presented as provisions meant for sanctified, regulated use, emphasizing responsibility and ethical restraint rather than mere enjoyment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula is describing how the Creator arranged the world’s components—vegetation, medicinal herbs, suitable animals, and sacrificial offerings—so that sacrificial rites can be performed, implying that yajña is a sustaining principle for society and the cosmos.