Shloka 17

Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)

Devanagari script

स हि धर्मार्थकुशल: सर्वविद्याविशारद: | यथाशास्त्र॑ नृपश्रेष्ठ चारयिष्यति ते हयम्‌

Transliteration

sa hi dharmārthakuśalaḥ sarvavidyāviśāradaḥ | yathāśāstraṁ nṛpaśreṣṭha cārayiṣyati te hayam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “For he is skilled in dharma and artha, and thoroughly accomplished in all branches of knowledge. Therefore, O best of kings, he will conduct your sacrificial horse in strict accordance with the prescriptions of the śāstras.”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• धर्मार्थकुशलः: skilled in dharma and artha
• धर्मार्थकुशलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मार्थकुशल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वविद्याविशारदः: proficient in all branches of knowledge
• सर्वविद्याविशारदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वविद्याविशारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: according to/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शास्त्रम्: the treatise/rule (scriptural injunction)
• शास्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नृपश्रेष्ठ: O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपश्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• चारयिष्यति: will conduct/lead (set in motion)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• हयम्: the horse
• हयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• nṛpaśreṣṭha (the best of kings)
• Aśvamedha horse (haya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Competent leadership and ritual action must be grounded in dharma and artha and carried out in conformity with śāstra; expertise and ethical discernment are presented as prerequisites for properly directing a king’s sacred undertaking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a qualified person—learned in all disciplines and skilled in dharma and artha—who will oversee and conduct the king’s Aśvamedha horse according to scriptural procedure, ensuring the rite proceeds correctly.