Shloka 3

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Post-Accession Settlements and Approach to Vāsudeva (युधिष्ठिरस्य राज्यस्थापनं वासुदेवाभिगमनं च)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच शृणु तत्त्वेन राजेन्द्र कीर्त्यमानं मयानघ । वासुदेवं पुरस्कृत्य यदकुर्वत पाण्डवा:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | śṛṇu tattvena rājendra kīrtyamānaṃ mayānagha | vāsudevaṃ puraskṛtya yad akurvata pāṇḍavāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O lord of kings, O sinless one, listen with full attention as I recount the truth. I shall relate, exactly as it happened, what the Pāṇḍavas did, placing Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) at the forefront.”

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शृणु: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्त्वेन: in truth; accurately
• तत्त्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कीर्त्यमानम्: being recounted
• कीर्त्यमानम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्त्यमान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, शानच् (present passive participle)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• अनघ: O sinless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनघ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वासुदेवम्: Vasudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front; having made the leader
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• यत्: what; that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकुर्वत: did
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Rājendra (the king addressed, i.e., Janamejaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds two ethical ideals: truthful narration (tattvena—accurately, without distortion) and right guidance (puraskṛtya Vāsudevam—acting with Kṛṣṇa placed foremost), implying that dharmic action is best undertaken under wise, righteous leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses the king (Janamejaya) and introduces the forthcoming account: he will now describe, truthfully and in order, the deeds of the Pāṇḍavas, emphasizing that they acted with Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) as their leading figure.