Shloka 39
गोमूल्यनिर्णयः — The Determination of Value through the Cow
Nahuṣa–Cyavana Episode
Devanagari script
युधिछिर उवाच वण्णपितमविज्ञाय नरं कलुषयोनिजम् । आर्यरूपमिवानार्य कथं विद्यामहे वयम्
Translation
Yudhishthira said: “O Pitamaha, how are we to recognize a man cast out from the four varnas, born of a tainted lineage—an un-Aryan who yet appears, to the eye, like an Arya?”
Word by Word
युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
वर्णपतितम्fallen from (his) varṇa; outcaste
वर्णपतितम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootवर्णपतित
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अविज्ञायnot knowing; without recognizing
अविज्ञाय:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-ज्ञा
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada, prior action
नरम्a man
नरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कलुषयोनिजम्born of an impure womb/lineage
कलुषयोनिजम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootकलुषयोनिज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आर्यरूपम्having the appearance of an ārya
आर्यरूपम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootआर्यरूप
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
इवas if; like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अनार्यम्a non-ārya; ignoble person
अनार्यम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअनार्य
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कथम्how?
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
विद्यामहेdo we know/recognize?
विद्यामहे:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormPresent, 1, Plural, Atmanepada
वयम्we
वयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
युधिछिर उवाच
Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes