Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तश्न तेनासौ ब्राह्मणो राजसत्तम | दूत: प्रयातो नगरं दाशार्णनृूपचोदित:,नृपश्रेष्ठट दशार्णागजजका यह संदेश पाकर और उन्हींकी प्रेरणासे दूत बनकर वे ब्राह्मणदेवता काम्पिल्य नगरमें आये

Transliteration

evam uktaḥ tena asau brāhmaṇo rājasattama | dūtaḥ prayāto nagaraṃ dāśārṇanṛpa-coditaḥ ||

Translation

Thus addressed, that eminent brāhmaṇa—urged on by the king of Daśārṇa—set out as an envoy and proceeded to the city.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: having been spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• असौ: that (person), he
• असौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: असद् (प्रातिपदिक: असौ/असौ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजसत्तम: O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दूतः: as a messenger / the messenger
• दूतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रयातः: went forth / departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: क्त (past active participle, intransitive usage), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नगरम्: to the city
• नगरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दाशार्णनृपचोदितः: impelled by the king of the Daśārṇas
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दाशार्ण-नृप-चोदित
• Form: क्त (past passive participle of चुद्/चोद् 'to impel'), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• brāhmaṇa (unnamed envoy)
• Daśārṇa king (dāśārṇanṛpa)
• nagara (city)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights duty in social and political order: a messenger acts as the responsible instrument of a ruler’s intention, and a brāhmaṇa, when formally commissioned, may undertake diplomatic action as part of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being instructed, an unnamed brāhmaṇa is appointed/urged by the king of Daśārṇa and departs as an envoy, traveling onward to a city to deliver the message.