Shloka 263

Kaurava Court Hears of the Pāṇḍavas’ Forest Hardship (वैचित्रवीर्यवंशीयस्य राज्ञः करुणाविचारः)

Devanagari script

पिपासवो ययुर्देवा: शतक्रतुपुरोगमा: । उन दिनों वे महर्षिगण जो यज्ञ कर रहे थे, उसमें भाग लेनेके लिये तथा सोमपान करनेके लिये इन्द्र आदि सभी देवता वहाँ पधारे थे। उन सबके मनमें सोमपान की इच्छा थी

Transliteration

pipāsavo yayur devāḥ śatakratu-purogamāḥ |

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: Nach Soma dürstend brachen die Götter auf, angeführt von Śatakratu (Indra). Vom Opfer, das die großen ṛṣis vollzogen, angezogen, kamen sie, um ihren zugewiesenen Anteil zu empfangen und Soma zu trinken—und so wird sichtbar, dass selbst die Götter an die Ordnung des yajña und an die im Opfer festgelegten Ansprüche gebunden sind.

Word by Word

• पिपासवः: thirsty (desirous of drink)
• पिपासवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिपासु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ययुः: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• शतक्रतु-पुरोगमाः: having Śatakratu (Indra) in front / led by Indra
• शतक्रतु-पुरोगमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरोगम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Devas
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Soma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the dharmic principle that yajña structures relationships between humans (or seers) and gods: even devas approach the sacrifice seeking their rightful portion (bhāga) and Soma, implying a moral order where entitlement is linked to ritual duty rather than mere power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Indra and the other gods, eager for Soma, go to the place where great ṛṣis are performing a sacrifice, intending to participate and receive their share.