Shloka 25

Janamejaya’s Request for Expansion; Vaiśampāyana’s Authorization and Phalāśruti of the Mahābhārata

Jaya

Devanagari script

सौतिर्वाच आस्तीकेनैवमुक्तस्तु राजा पारिक्षितस्तदा । पुन: पुनरुवाचेदमास्तीकं वदतां वर:,उग्रश्रवाजी कहते हैं--भूगुनन्दन शौनक! आस्तीकके ऐसा कहनेपर उस समय वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ राजा जनमेजयने उनसे बार-बार अनुरोध किया--'विप्रशिरोमणे! आपका कल्याण हो, कोई दूसरा वर माँगिये।' किंतु आस्तीकने दूसरा कोई वर नहीं माँगा

Transliteration

Sautir uvāca—Āstīkenaivam uktas tu rājā Pārikṣitas tadā | punaḥ punar uvācedam Āstīkaṃ vadatāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Sauti sprach: Als Āstīka so geredet hatte, wandte sich König Janamejaya aus Parīkṣits Geschlecht — damals der Beste unter den Rednern — immer wieder an Āstīka: „O Zierde der Brahmanen, ergehe es dir wohl; erbitte einen anderen Wunsch.“ Doch Āstīka begehrte keinen zweiten Wunsch.

Word by Word

• {'Sautiḥ / Sautiḥ uvāca': "Sauti (Ugraśravas), the narrator

• 'said'", 'Āstīkena': 'by Āstīka (instrumental)', 'evam uktas': 'having been spoken to thus / addressed in this manner', 'rājā': 'king', 'Pārikṣitaḥ': 'descendant of Parikṣit (here referring to Janamejaya as Pārikṣita)', 'tadā': 'then, at that time', 'punaḥ punaḥ': 'again and again, repeatedly', 'uvāca idam': 'said this', 'Āstīkam': 'to Āstīka (accusative)', 'vadatām varaḥ': 'best among speakers/orators'}

Speaker

आस्तीक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ugraśravas Sauti
• Āstīka
• Janamejaya (Pārikṣita)
• Parikṣit (as lineage reference)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical restraint and single-mindedness: Āstīka, having achieved the dharmic purpose of halting violence, does not exploit the king’s gratitude for additional personal gain.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Āstīka’s request is granted, Janamejaya repeatedly urges him to ask for another boon, praising him as a foremost brahmin; Āstīka declines to seek any further reward.