Shloka 1323

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

प्रयत्नेन मया मूर्ध्ना गृहीत्वा हभिवन्दितौ | तात! तदनन्तर मैंने कोमल और लाल रंगकी अँगुलियोंसे सुशोभित लाल-लाल तलवेवाले उस बालकके सुन्दर एवं सुप्रतिष्ठित चरणोंको प्रयत्नपूर्वक पकड़कर उन्हें अपने मस्तकसे प्रणाम किया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | prayatnena mayā mūrdhnā gṛhītvā abhivanditau | tāta! tadanantaraṁ mayā komala-rakta-raṅgāṅguli-suśobhitaiḥ rakta-rakta-talavaiḥ tasya bālakasya sundara-supratiṣṭhitau caraṇau prayatnapūrvakaṁ gṛhītvā mama mastakena praṇāmam akārṣam |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “With deliberate care, I took hold of them and bowed. Then, O dear one, I respectfully grasped that child’s beautiful, well-set feet—adorned with soft, reddish toes and glowing red soles—and, placing them upon my head, I offered reverent obeisance.”

Word by Word

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• मूर्ध्ना: with (my) head
• मूर्ध्ना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• गृहीत्वा: having taken/held
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), —, —, —

• अभिवन्दितौ: having been saluted / (I) saluted (them)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वन्द्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तात: O dear father / O sir
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• bālaka (a child)
• caraṇau (the child’s feet)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic humility: reverence is not merely verbal but enacted through disciplined, respectful gesture—honoring the worthy (especially a revered person) by bowing to their feet, symbolizing surrender of ego and recognition of moral/spiritual stature.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker describes a formal act of veneration: carefully taking the child’s well-formed feet—described with tender red digits and red soles—and placing them upon his own head to offer praṇāma, indicating deep respect and submission.