Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

ये चान्ये क्रतवस्तात ब्राह्मणैरभिपूजिता: । तैर्यजस्व महीपाल शक्रो देवपतिर्यथा

Transliteration

ye cānye kratavas tāta brāhmaṇair abhipūjitāḥ | tair yajasva mahīpāla śakro devapatir yathā ||

Translation

يا حبيبَ القلب، ويا حاميَ الأرض! أقمْ كذلك سائرَ شعائرِ القربان التي يجلّها البراهمة ويثنون عليها. وبعبادةِ ربِّ القربان من خلالها، لعلّ مُلكَك يجري مجرى إندرا سيّدِ الآلهة—حافظًا للنظام، وباسطًا للكرم، وراعِيًا للواجباتِ المقدّسة التي تُقيمُ أركانَ المملكة.

Word by Word

• ये: who/which (those)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्रतवः: sacrifices, rites
• क्रतवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तात: dear one / son (term of address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभिपूजिताः: honoured, praised
• अभिपूजिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-पूज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• तैः: by/with those (rites)
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• यजस्व: perform sacrifice / worship (you should sacrifice)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Second, Singular, Ātmanepada

• महीपाल: O protector of the earth (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवपतिः: lord of the gods
• देवपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• Brahmins (Brāhmaṇāḥ)
• Indra (Śakra, Devapati)
• King (Mahīpāla/Bhūpāla)
• Sacrifices (Kratavaḥ/Yajñas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king should uphold rajadharma by supporting and performing approved Vedic sacrifices as endorsed by Brahmins, aligning royal power with sacred duty and public welfare—like Indra sustaining cosmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula addresses a ruler respectfully, urging him to undertake the various Brahmin-approved sacrificial rites and to worship through them, holding up Indra as the model of a sovereign who maintains order through dharmic action.