Shloka 17

एकचक्रानिवासे ब्राह्मणगृहदुःखश्रवणम् | Hearing the Brāhmaṇa Household’s Distress at Ekacakrā

Devanagari script

यदा तु कार्यमस्माकं भवद्धिरुपपत्स्यते । तदा करिष्यथास्माकं प्रियाणि च हितानि च

Transliteration

yadā tu kāryam asmākaṃ bhavadbhir upapatsyate | tadā kariṣyathāsmākaṃ priyāṇi ca hitāni ca ||

Translation

“But when our own need arises and can be duly met through you, then you shall do for us what is both dear to us and truly beneficial.”

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• कार्यम्: a task/need
• कार्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अस्माकम्: of us/our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• भवद्भिः: by you (all)
• भवद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• उपपत्स्यते: will occur/come to pass; will be possible
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√पद्
• Form: Future, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• करिष्यथ: you (all) will do
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: Future, 2nd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अस्माकम्: for us / of us
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• प्रियाणि: pleasing things
• प्रियाणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• हितानि: beneficial things
• हितानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana (speaker)
• asmākam (we/us—unspecified group in this verse)
• bhavadbhiḥ (you—honorific addressees, unspecified in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes between what is merely pleasing (priya) and what is genuinely beneficial (hita), urging that help, when requested at the proper time, should aim at both—affectionate regard and true welfare—rather than short-term gratification alone.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a promise or expectation of future assistance: when a situation arises in which the speakers’ objective can be accomplished through the addressees, the addressees are to act on their behalf, providing support that is both welcome and advantageous.