Shloka 51
अश्रमवासिनां विषादः — Lament in Hastināpura after the Elders’ Forest Withdrawal
Devanagari script
तामुवाच ततो व्यासो यत् ते कार्य विवक्षितम्
Transliteration
tām uvāca tato vyāso yat te kārya vivakṣitam
Translation
Then Vyāsa spoke to her: “Tell me what it is that you wish to be done—what purpose you intend to express.”
Word by Word
ताम्her
ताम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
उवाचsaid/spoke
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन
ततःthen/thereupon
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
व्यासःVyasa
व्यासः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootव्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
यत्what/that which
यत्:
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
तेto you/for you
ते:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Form—, चतुर्थी/षष्ठी, एकवचन
कार्यम्task; what is to be done
कार्यम्:
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः भाव्य/कर्तव्य-अर्थे)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
विवक्षितम्intended; wished to be said/asked
विवक्षितम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootवि + वक्ष् (धातु) → विवक्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VyāsaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical importance of clarifying one’s intention (vivakṣā) before action (kārya): wise guidance begins by asking what outcome is sought, so that speech and deed align with dharma rather than impulse.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, the sage Vyāsa addresses a woman present in the episode and invites her to state what she wants accomplished—prompting her to articulate her request or purpose before he responds or acts.