Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

सतं पप्रच्छ कौन्तेय: पुनः पुनररिंदमम्‌ धर्मज: शक्रजं जिष्णुं समाचष्ट जगत्पति:

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: taṁ papraccha Kaunteyaḥ punaḥ punar arindamam; dharmajaḥ Śakrajaṁ jiṣṇuṁ samācaṣṭa jagatpatiḥ.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing this, the son of Kuntī, Dharmaja (Yudhiṣṭhira), questioned him again and again about Jiṣṇu (Arjuna), the foe-subduer, son of Śakra (Indra). Thereupon the Lord of the world (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) explained the matter to him as follows.

Word by Word

• सतं: him (that one)
• सतं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कौन्तेयः: Kunti's son (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• कौन्तेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• अरिंदमम्: enemy-subduing (one)
• अरिंदमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरिंदम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मजः: son of Dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शक्रजम्: son of Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्रज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जिष्णुम्: Jishnu (Arjuna)
• जिष्णुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिष्णु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समाचष्ट: told, related
• समाचष्ट: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चक्ष्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जगत्पतिः: lord of the world
• जगत्पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kaunteya (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Dharmaja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Arjuna (Jiṣṇu, Śakraja)
• Indra (Śakra)
• Kṛṣṇa (Jagatpati)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Persistent, sincere questioning in pursuit of dharma is portrayed as virtuous, and proper resolution comes from an authoritative, wise guide—here Kṛṣṇa—who clarifies doubts and sets the ethical frame for understanding events.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira repeatedly asks about Arjuna (described by epithets such as ‘Indra’s son’ and ‘victorious’). In response, Kṛṣṇa, called ‘Lord of the world,’ begins to explain the matter to him, moving the story forward through dialogue.