Shloka 51

Prāyaścitta and Contextual Non-Culpability (प्रायश्चित्त-निमित्त-अदोषवाद)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तो भगवता धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तेन प्रत्युवाच तपोधनम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! भगवान्‌ व्यासके ऐसा कहनेपर धर्मराज युधिष्ठिने दो घड़ीतक कुछ सोच-विचार करके तपोधन व्यासजीसे इस प्रकार कहा

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca evam ukto bhagavatā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | cintayitvā muhūrtena pratyuvāca tapodhanam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Thus addressed by the venerable sage, King Yudhiṣṭhira—steadfast in dharma—reflected for a moment and then replied to the ascetic treasure (Vyāsa).

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

भगवताby the Blessed one (Veda-Vyasa)

धर्मराजःthe king of dharma (Dharmaraja)

युधिष्ठिरःYudhishthira

चिन्तयित्वाhaving reflected

मुहूर्तेनfor a moment / in a short while

प्रत्युवाचreplied

तपोधनम्the ascetic rich in austerity (Vyasa)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

Vyāsa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

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 highlights a dharmic mode of response: before speaking, a righteous person pauses to reflect. Ethical speech is portrayed as deliberate and guided by reverence for wise counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being addressed by the venerable sage (Vyāsa), Yudhiṣṭhira thinks briefly and then begins his reply. The narrator Vaiśampāyana marks the transition from instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira’s considered response.