Shloka 16

दमयन्त्याः कार्यनिश्चयः — Damayantī’s Crisis Plan and Vārṣṇeya’s Departure

Devanagari script

वाचा च मनसा चैव नमस्कार प्रयुज्य सा

Transliteration

vācā ca manasā caiva namaskāraṃ prayujya sā

Translation

Bṛhadaśva sprach: „Mit Wort und auch mit Geist brachte sie eine ehrfürchtige Verneigung dar.“

Word by Word

• वाचा: by speech/with words
• वाचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मनसा: by mind/mentally
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (नपुं.)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• नमस्कारम्: salutation/obeisance
• नमस्कारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (पुं.)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रयुज्य: having offered/after performing
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + युज्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

बृहदश्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadaśva
• she (unnamed female figure)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that genuine reverence must be twofold: expressed outwardly through words and inwardly through the mind. Ethical conduct in dharma is measured not only by external formality but by sincere intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva, narrating events, describes a woman’s act of respectful greeting: she offers namaskāra both verbally and mentally, indicating complete and sincere deference in the situation being recounted.