Shloka 40

Sabhā-praveśa, Dāna, and the Courtly Convergence (सभा-प्रवेशः दानं च)

Devanagari script

तस्यां सभायामासीना: सुव्रता: सत्यसंगरा: । दिवीव देवा ब्रह्माणं युधिष्ठिरमुपासते,जैसे देवतालोग दिव्यलोककी सभामें ब्रह्माजीकी उपासना करते हैं, उसी प्रकार कितने ही सत्यप्रतिज्ञ और उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले महापुरुष उस सभामें बैठकर महाराज युधिष्ठिरकी आराधना करते थे

Transliteration

tasyāṁ sabhāyām āsīnāḥ suvratāḥ satyasaṅgarāḥ | divīva devā brahmāṇaṁ yudhiṣṭhiram upāsate ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: In jener königlichen Versammlung saßen große Männer von vorzüglichen Gelübden und unerschütterlicher Wahrhaftigkeit. Wie die Götter im Himmel Brahmā im himmlischen Hof verehren, so ehrten und bedienten auch jene standhaften, disziplinierten Ältesten, dort versammelt, König Yudhiṣṭhira—und erkannten in ihm die Autorität des Dharma und das moralische Zentrum des Reiches.

Word by Word

• तस्याम्: in that
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• सभायाम्: in the assembly
• सभायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• आसीनाः: seated
• आसीनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आस् (धातु) → आसीन (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुव्रताः: of good vows / observing excellent vows
• सुव्रताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सत्यसंगराः: true in resolve/pledge; steadfast in truth
• सत्यसंगराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसंगर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• इव: as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā (as object of worship/service)
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरम्: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपासते: they attend upon / worship
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Brahmā
• the gods (devāḥ)
• the assembly hall (sabhā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds the ideal of dharmic kingship: a ruler grounded in truth and righteousness naturally becomes worthy of reverence, much like divine authority is honored in heaven. It also praises disciplined vows (vrata) and steadfast truth as the marks of exemplary persons.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Yudhiṣṭhira’s court: many eminent, vow-observant and truth-steady men are seated in the assembly, honoring Yudhiṣṭhira with reverence comparable to how the gods honor Brahmā in the celestial assembly.