Shloka 17

Devanagari script

नासत्यश्वापि दस्नश्न स्मृतौ द्वावश्विनावपि

Transliteration

nāsatyāśvāpī dasnaśna smṛtau dvāv aśvināv api

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “In the received tradition (smṛti), the two Aśvin twins are remembered by the names Nāsatya and Dasnaśna as well.”

Word by Word

• नासत्यः: Nāsatya (name of an Aśvin)
• नासत्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासत्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अश्वः: horse
• अश्वः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• दस्नश्न: Dasnaśna (name/epithet; uncertain)
• दस्नश्न: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्नश्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्मृतौ: in the two traditions/memories (i.e., in both recollections)
• स्मृतौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Dual

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अश्विनौ: the two Aśvins
• अश्विनौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nāsatya
• Dasnaśna
• Aśvinau (the Aśvin twins)
• Smṛti (tradition)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores reliance on smṛti (received tradition) for authoritative identification and nomenclature, affirming that the Aśvin twins are known by specific epithets—Nāsatya and Dasnaśna.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in his instructive discourse in the Anuśāsana Parva, cites traditional remembrance to clarify the recognized names of the Aśvin twins.