Shloka 31

Devanagari script

यथाअज्ञापयसे विप्र बाढमेवं भविष्यति । ऋषेत्याहरतो वाक्यं प्रतिवक्ष्यामहे वयम्‌,“ब्रह्म! आप जैसी आज्ञा देते हैं, निश्चय ही वैसा ही होगा। जब महर्षि व्यास आपको पुकारेंगे, तब हम सब लोग उन्हें उत्तर देंगी'

Transliteration

yathājñāpayase vipra bāḍham evaṁ bhaviṣyati | ṛṣety āharato vākyaṁ prativakṣyāmahe vayam |

Translation

Śuka said: “As you command, O brahmin, so indeed it shall be. When the great sage Vyāsa calls to us, ‘O Ṛṣi!’, we shall all reply to his words.”

Word by Word

यथाas, just as

आज्ञापयसेyou command/ordain

विप्रO brahmin

बाढम्certainly, indeed

एवम्thus, in that manner

भविष्यतिit will be/come to pass

ऋषेto the sage

इतिthus (quotative)

आहरतःof (him) who says/utters (bringing forth)

वाक्यम्speech, words

प्रतिवक्ष्यामहेwe shall reply/answer

वयम्we

Speaker

शुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śuka

Vipra (brahmin addressee)

Vyāsa

Ṛ

Ṛṣi (as a form of address)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes dharmic discipline: when a rightful spiritual authority gives an instruction, one should accept it with certainty and be prepared to respond promptly when called. It models humility, reliability, and readiness to serve truth.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śuka conveys assent to a brahmin’s command and states that when Vyāsa calls them addressing ‘Ṛṣi’, they will answer him. The scene depicts a coordinated, respectful response to Vyāsa’s summons.