Shloka 7

Yakṣa-saṃvāda: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Interrogation at the Guarded Water

Devanagari script

तस्य सर्वमभिप्रायमितिकर्तव्यतां च ताम्‌ सत्यवन्तं समुद्दिश्य सर्वमेव न्यवेदयत्‌,तब राजाने उनसे सत्यवानके उद्देश्यसे अपना सारा अभिप्राय तथा कैसे-कैसे क्या-क्या करना है इत्यादि बातोंका विवरण सब कुछ स्पष्ट बता दिया

Transliteration

tasya sarvam abhiprāyam itikartavyatāṁ ca tāṁ satyavantaṁ samuddiśya sarvam eva nyavedayat

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: Keeping Satyavān in view, she disclosed to him her entire intention and also the complete course of action—what was to be done and how—making everything clear in full detail.

Word by Word

तस्यof him/that

सर्वम्all, the whole

अभिप्रायम्intention, plan

इतिthus, 'so'

कर्तव्यताम्what is to be done; duty/required course of action

चand

ताम्that (course of action)

सत्यवन्तम्Satyavān

समुद्दिश्यhaving referred to / addressing / with reference to

सर्वम्everything

एवindeed, just, entirely

न्यवेदयत्reported, informed, communicated

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Satyavān

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 dharmic conduct through clarity and completeness: a righteous resolve should be accompanied by a clear, practical understanding of the proper means (itikartavyatā). Ethical intention is strengthened when one communicates the full plan transparently and responsibly.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Mārkaṇḍeya’s narration, the concerned person (implicitly the wife in the Sāvitrī–Satyavān episode) explains to Satyavān her entire intention and the detailed steps to be followed, making the plan explicit and leaving nothing unspoken.