Shloka 54

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त: स तया सक्तून्‌ प्रगृहोदं वचो5ब्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

ity uktaḥ sa tayā saktūn pragṛhodaṃ vaco 'bravīt

Translation

স্ত্রীর কথায় তিনি সক্তু-অর্ঘ্য তুলে নিলেন; সসম্মানে অভ্যর্থনার ভঙ্গিতে করজোড় করে উত্তর দিলেন—দুঃখের মধ্যেও ধর্মগৃহের শিষ্টতা ও সংযম অটুট রেখে।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti

• uktaḥ: having been spoken to / addressed
• uktaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (√vac) → ukta (PPP)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (pronoun)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tayā: by her
• tayā: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (pronoun)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• saktūn: parched grain/flour-balls (saktu)
• saktūn: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: saktu
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• pragṛhya: having taken/accepted
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + grah (√grah)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (pronoun)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• vacaḥ: speech/words
• vacaḥ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• abravīt: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (√brū)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• a woman (tayā, unnamed in this verse)
• saktūn (parched grain/food offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in strained circumstances, dharma is upheld through respectful reception of offerings and measured speech; courtesy and restraint are presented as ethical strengths.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a woman addresses him, Nakula accepts the simple food (saktūn) and responds with words, indicating a formal, courteous exchange and the observance of proper conduct.