Shloka 21

Aśvamedha-saṃbhāra: Return of the Horse, Auspicious Timing, and Construction of the Yajña Enclosure

Devanagari script

इत्येतद्‌ वचन श्रुत्वा धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । अभिनन्द्यास्य तद्‌ वाक्यमिदं वचनमत्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

ity etad vacanaṃ śrutvā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | abhinandyāsya tad vākyam idaṃ vacanam atravīt ||

Translation

এই কথা শুনে ধর্মরাজ যুধিষ্ঠির তা সাদরে অনুমোদন করলেন এবং তারপর এই উত্তর দিলেন।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचनम्: speech, statement
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• धर्मराजः: the king of dharma (Dharmaraja)
• धर्मराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभिनन्द्य: having praised, having approved
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-नन्द्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• अस्य: of him, his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचनम्: statement, utterance
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अत्र: here, in this matter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models ethical discourse: one should listen fully, acknowledge what is worthy in another’s words, and then respond thoughtfully—especially for a ruler whose speech must align with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates a transition: Yudhiṣṭhira hears a preceding statement, approves it, and begins his own reply, setting up the next portion of the dialogue.