Shloka 23

भरतस्य दूतसमागमः तथा केकयराजनः अनुज्ञा

Bharata Meets the Messengers; Kekaya King Grants Leave

Devanagari script

अन्तःपुरेऽति संवृद्धान् व्याघ्रवीर्यबलान्वितान्। दंष्ट्राऽऽयुधान्महाकायान् शुनश्चोपायनं ददौ।।2.70.23।।

Transliteration

antaḥpure'ti saṃvṛddhān vyāghravīryabalānvitān | daṃṣṭrāyudhān mahākāyān śunaś copāyanaṃ dadau ||2.70.23||

Translation

Er schenkte ihm zudem Hunde als Gabe, in den inneren Gemächern aufgezogen: von gewaltigem Leib, mit tigerhafter Tapferkeit und Kraft, deren Fangzähne wie Waffen waren.

Word by Word

• अन्तःपुरे: in the inner apartments
• अन्तःपुरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaḥpura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अन्तः + पुर)

• अति: very/exceedingly
• अति: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (intensifier)

• संवृद्धान्: well-reared
• संवृद्धान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃvṛddha (कृदन्त; सम् + √vṛdh वृध्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• व्याघ्रवीर्यबलान्वितान्: endowed with tiger-like valor and strength
• व्याघ्रवीर्यबलान्वितान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāghra-vīrya-bala-anvita (प्रातिपदिक; व्याघ्र + वीर्य + बल + अन्वित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (व्याघ्रस्य वीर्यं बलं च तदन्विताः)

• दंष्ट्रायुधान्: having fangs as weapons
• दंष्ट्रायुधान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daṃṣṭrā-āyudha (प्रातिपदिक; दंष्ट्रा + आयुध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (दंष्ट्रा एव आयुधं येषाम्)

• महाकायान्: huge-bodied
• महाकायान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-kāya (प्रातिपदिक; महा + काय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् कायः येषाम्)

• शुनः: dogs
• शुनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; 'श्वन्' शब्दस्य रूप (dogs)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• उपायनम्: gift/present
• उपायनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धाातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

He also gave him a gift of well-raised dogs of the inner apartment huge-bodied with the strength and courage of tigers who used their fangs as weapons.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• inner apartments (antaḥpura)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma as protection and preparedness: safeguarding a righteous prince’s travel and mission is treated as a legitimate royal responsibility.

What is the narrative situation?

Among the farewell provisions, Bharata is given strong, specially reared dogs as part of royal accompaniment and protection.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Care and responsibility—ensuring Bharata’s safety through appropriate means, consistent with royal duty (rājadharma).