Shloka 24

Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)

Devanagari script

तथैव वेदवचन श्रूयते नित्यदा विभो । संवत्सरो महाराज पूर्णो भवति कृच्छृत:,'प्रभो! महाराज! इसी प्रकार सदा यह वैदिक वचन सुना जाता है कि कृच्छृव्रतके अनुष्ठानसे एक वर्षकी पूर्ति हो जाती है

Transliteration

tathaiva vedavacanaṁ śrūyate nityadā vibho | saṁvatsaro mahārāja pūrṇo bhavati kṛcchrataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Ebenso, o Mächtiger—o großer König—wird dieses vedische Wort zu allen Zeiten vernommen: Wer die Kṛcchra-Observanz auf sich nimmt, der vollendet gleichsam ein ganzes Jahr (an Verdienst).“

Word by Word

तथाthus, in that manner

एवindeed, just, only

वेदवचनम्Vedic statement/utterance

श्रूयतेis heard, is recited

नित्यदाalways, at all times

विभोO mighty one / O lord

संवत्सरःa year

महाराजO great king

पूर्णःcomplete, fulfilled

भवतिbecomes, comes to be

कृच्छृतःfrom (the observance of) the Kṛcchra (penance/vow)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Mahārāja (addressed king)

Veda

Kṛcchra-vrata

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse appeals to Vedic authority to emphasize the spiritual efficacy of disciplined penance: the Kṛcchra observance is said to yield merit comparable to completing a full year, underscoring the ethical value of self-restraint and expiation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a traditional Vedic maxim to the king he is addressing, reinforcing a point about vows and austerities—specifically that performing the Kṛcchra-vrata is regarded as powerfully meritorious, as if it ‘completes’ a year.