Shloka 18

Drupada’s Instruction to the Purohita for the Kaurava Embassy (द्रुपदोपदेशः दूतप्रेषणम्)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच तथानुशिष्ट: प्रययौ ट्रपदेन महात्मना । पुरोधा वृत्तसम्पन्नो नगरं नागसाह्दयम्‌

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tathānuśiṣṭaḥ prayayau Drupadena mahātmanā | purodhā vṛttasampanno nagaraṃ Nāgasāhvayam ||

Translation

বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন—জনমেজয়! মহাত্মা রাজা দ্রুপদের এমন উপদেশ পেয়ে সদাচারসম্পন্ন পুরোহিত নাগসাহ্বয় (হস্তিনাপুর) নগরের দিকে যাত্রা করলেন।

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अनुशिष्टः: having been instructed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनुशास्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रययौ: departed, went forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, प्र

• द्रुपदेन: by Drupada
• द्रुपदेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुपद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पुरोधाः: the family priest, purohita
• पुरोधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोधा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृत्तसम्पन्नः: endowed with good conduct
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्तसम्पन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नगरम्: to the city
• नगरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नागसाह्वयम्: named Nāga (i.e., Hāstinapura)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नागसाह्वय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Drupada
• purohita (royal priest)
• Nāgasāhvaya (Hastināpura)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A mission should proceed under rightful instruction (anuśāsana) and be carried by a person of proven character (vṛtta-sampanna). Ethical fitness is presented as essential for public or royal duties.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being instructed by King Drupada, the royal priest departs for Nāgasāhvaya—i.e., Hastināpura—indicating the start of a purposeful journey, likely connected with negotiations and preparations in the Udyoga Parva context.