Shloka 10

Aśvamedha-saṃbhāra: Return of the Horse, Auspicious Timing, and Construction of the Yajña Enclosure

Devanagari script

समीपे च महाबाहुमाचष्ट च मम प्रभो । कुरु कार्याणि कौन्तेय हयमेधार्थसिद्धये

Transliteration

samīpe ca mahābāhum ācakṣṭa ca mama prabho | kuru kāryāṇi kaunteya hayamedhārthasiddhaye ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “And he also reported, ‘O my lord, the mighty-armed Arjuna has now come near.’ Therefore, O son of Kuntī, begin the necessary preparations so that the purpose of the Aśvamedha sacrifice may be successfully fulfilled.”

Word by Word

• समीपे: near, in proximity
• समीपे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महाबाहुम्: the mighty-armed (one)
• महाबाहुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आचष्ट: told, reported
• Type: Verb
• Root: चक्ष्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: also/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• प्रभो: O lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुरु: do, perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कार्याणि: tasks, things to be done
• कार्याणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• कौन्तेय: O son of Kunti
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• हयमेधार्थसिद्धये: for the accomplishment of the purpose of the horse-sacrifice
• हयमेधार्थसिद्धये: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयमेधार्थसिद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Kaunteya)
• Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes timely performance of one’s royal and ritual duties: when the needed support (Arjuna’s presence) is secured, the king should proceed with the required actions to complete a dharmic undertaking (the Aśvamedha) successfully.

What is happening in the narrative?

A messenger/report informs the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) that Arjuna has come close/returned nearby; consequently, Yudhiṣṭhira is urged to commence the necessary arrangements to bring the Aśvamedha sacrifice to its intended completion.