Shloka 34

Śārṅgakānāṃ Avināśaḥ (Why the Śārṅga Birds Were Spared) | शार्ङ्गकानामविनाशः

Devanagari script

ततो युधिष्छिरो राजा श्रुत्वा माधवमागतम्‌ । प्रतिग्रहार्थ कृष्णस्य यमौ प्रास्थापयत्‌ तदा,महाराज युधिष्ठिरने भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णका आगमन सुनकर उन्हें आदरपूर्वक लिवा लानेके लिये नकुल और सहदेवको भेजा

Transliteration

tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā śrutvā mādhavam āgatam | pratigrahārthaṃ kṛṣṇasya yamau prāsthāpayat tadā, mahārāja ||

Translation

Then King Yudhiṣṭhira, hearing that Mādhava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) had arrived, at once dispatched the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, to go forth and receive Kṛṣṇa with due honor. The episode underscores the dharmic duty of a righteous king to welcome a revered guest—especially one regarded as divine—with respect, hospitality, and proper protocol.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• माधवम्: Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)
• माधवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आगतम्: come, arrived
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिग्रहार्थम्: for the purpose of receiving (him)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रहार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• यमौ: the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)
• यमौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• प्रास्थापयत्: sent forth, dispatched
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (causative: प्रस्थापय)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Mādhava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Kṛṣṇa
• Nakula
• Sahadeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in the form of proper hospitality and reverence: a righteous ruler should promptly and respectfully receive an honored guest, especially a spiritually eminent person like Kṛṣṇa, by observing fitting social and ethical protocol.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira hears of Kṛṣṇa’s arrival and immediately sends the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, to welcome and escort him with honor.