Shloka 6

ययाति–अष्टक–प्रतर्दन संवादः | Yayāti’s Dialogue with Aṣṭaka and Pratardana on Merit, Gifts, and Ethical Restraint

Devanagari script

जनमेजय उवाच कर्मणा केन स दिवं पुन: प्राप्तो महीपति:,जनमेजयने पूछा--मुने! किस कर्मसे वे भूपाल पुनः स्वर्गमें पहुँचे थे?

Transliteration

janamejaya uvāca

karmaṇā kena sa divaṃ punaḥ prāpto mahīpatiḥ?

Translation

Janamejaya said: “By what deed did that king attain heaven again?”

Word by Word

जनमेजयःJanamejaya

उवाचsaid

कर्मणाby (what) deed/action

केनby which? by what?

सःhe

दिवम्heaven

पुनःagain

प्राप्तःattained/reached

महीपतिःthe king (lord of the earth)

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janamejaya

mahīpati (the king referred to earlier)

diva (heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a key Mahābhārata ethic: destiny in the afterlife is linked to specific actions (karma). Even if a king’s heavenly status is lost or interrupted, it can be regained through a particular dharmic deed, expiation, or merit-producing act—hence the inquiry into the precise cause.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the frame dialogue, King Janamejaya asks the sage to explain which specific action enabled a previously mentioned king to reach heaven again. The question sets up an explanatory account about merit, conduct, or ritual that restores celestial attainment.