Shloka 4

Devanagari script

दिवोदास उवाच श्रुतमेतन्मया पूर्व किमुक्‍्त्वा विस्तरं द्विज । काड्क्षितो हि मयैषोर्र्थ: श्रुत्वैव द्विजसत्तम,दिवोदास बोले--ब्रह्मन! यह सब वृत्तान्त मैंने पहलेसे ही सुन रखा है। अब इसे विस्तारपूर्वक कहनेकी क्या आवश्यकता है? द्विजश्रेष्ठ। आपके प्रस्तावको सुनते ही मेरे मनमें यह पुत्रोत्पादनकी अभिलाषा जाग उठी है

Transliteration

divodāsa uvāca | śrutam etan mayā pūrvaṁ kim uktvā vistaraṁ dvija | kāṅkṣito hi mayaiṣo 'rthaḥ śrutvaiva dvijasattama ||

Translation

Divodāsa said: “I have already heard this account before, O brāhmaṇa. What need is there to recount it again at length? O best of the twice-born, merely upon hearing your proposal, this very aim has arisen in me—an earnest desire for the begetting of a son.”

Word by Word

दिवोदासःDivodasa

उवाचsaid

श्रुतम्heard

एतत्this

मयाby me

पूर्वम्formerly, earlier

किम्what?

उक्त्वाhaving said/told

विस्तरम्in detail, elaboration

द्विजO brahmin (twice-born)

काङ्क्षितःdesired, longed for

हिindeed, for

मयाby me

एषःthis

अर्थःpurpose, matter, intent

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

एवjust, indeed

द्विजसत्तमO best of brahmins

Speaker

दिवोदास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Divodāsa

Dvija (brāhmaṇa addressee)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and social importance traditionally placed on lineage and progeny for a king, and shows how a wise proposal can immediately awaken a focused resolve without needing repeated narration.

What is happening in the narrative?

Divodāsa addresses a brāhmaṇa, saying he already knows the earlier story and does not need it retold in detail; hearing the brāhmaṇa’s proposal alone has stirred in him the desire and intention to obtain a son.