Shloka 31
Adhyāya 73: Damayantī’s Investigation of Bāhuka
Keśinī’s Observations
Devanagari script
बाहुको रथमादाय रथशालामुपागमत् । स मोचयित्वा तानश्चानुपचर्य च शास्त्रत:
Transliteration
bāhuko ratham ādāya rathaśālām upāgamat | sa mocayitvā tān aśvān upacarya ca śāstrataḥ ||
Translation
أخذ باهُكَةُ العربةَ ومضى إلى دار العربات. وهناك فكّ الخيل ثم قام بخدمتها ورعايتها على وفق القواعد المقررة.
Word by Word
बाहुकःBahuka (name)
बाहुकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबाहुक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
रथम्chariot
रथम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आदायhaving taken
आदाय:
TypeVerb
Rootआ + दा
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)
रथशालाम्chariot-shed, chariot-house
रथशालाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथशाला
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
उपागमत्went to, approached
उपागमत्:
TypeVerb
Rootउप + गम्
FormImperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मोचयित्वाhaving released, having freed
मोचयित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootमुच्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)
तान्them
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
अनुपचर्यhaving attended to, having served
अनुपचर्य:
TypeVerb
Rootअनु + चर्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
शास्त्रतःaccording to the treatise/rule, as prescribed
शास्त्रतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootशास्त्र
Formतसिल्-प्रत्यय (ablatival adverb)
Speaker
बृहदश्चव उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BāhukaC
chariot (ratha)C
chariot-house (rathaśālā)H
horses (aśva)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Even routine work should be done with discipline and according to proper standards (śāstrataḥ). The verse highlights dharma expressed as careful, rule-guided service rather than mere outward heroics.
Bāhuka takes the chariot to the chariot-house, unharnesses the horses, and then tends to them properly, following the correct procedures expected of a skilled attendant.