Shloka 7

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Public Request for Consent to Enter the Forest (अनुज्ञा-प्रार्थना)

Devanagari script

स श्राद्धयज्ञों ववृते बहुशो धनदक्षिण: | अनेकधनरत्नौघो युधिछिरमते तदा

Transliteration

sa śrāddhayajño vavṛte bahuśo dhanadakṣiṇaḥ | anekadhana-ratnaugho yudhiṣṭhiramate tadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: That śrāddha-sacrifice was performed repeatedly, adorned with generous gifts of wealth as dakṣiṇā. In accordance with Yudhiṣṭhira’s intention at that time, heaps of various riches and streams of jewels were distributed—framing royal duty as care for the departed and ethical generosity toward the worthy.

Word by Word

• सः: he (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्राद्धयज्ञान्: Śrāddha-sacrifices (funeral/ancestral rites)
• श्राद्धयज्ञान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्धयज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ववृते: chose / undertook
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते)
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• बहुशः: many times / repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशस्

• धनदक्षिणाः: having wealth as the sacrificial fee (rich in gifts)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धनदक्षिणा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अनेकधनरत्नौघः: a flood/heap of many kinds of wealth and jewels
• अनेकधनरत्नौघः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेकधनरत्नौघ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरमते: in accordance with Yudhiṣṭhira’s opinion/decision
• युधिष्ठिरमते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युधिष्ठिरमत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• śrāddha-yajña
• dakṣiṇā (ritual gifts/fees)
• wealth (dhana)
• jewels (ratna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic kingship expressed through śrāddha and dāna: honoring the departed through proper rites and supporting ritual specialists and dependents through generous dakṣiṇā, turning grief and obligation into ethically ordered giving.

What is happening in the narrative?

A śrāddha-yajña is being conducted repeatedly, and—following Yudhiṣṭhira’s approval—large amounts of wealth and jewels are distributed as dakṣiṇā, emphasizing the scale and sincerity of the rite.