Shloka 41

Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)

Devanagari script

तमभिप्रेक्ष्य धर्मात्मा सम्प्राप्तं धर्मचारिणम्‌ । शास्त्रवन्मधुपर्केण पूजयामास धर्मराट्‌,धर्मात्मा धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने धर्मानुष्ठान करनेवाले उन महात्माको आया देख शास्त्रीय विधिके अनुसार मधुपर्कद्वारा उनका पूजन किया

Transliteration

tam abhiprekṣya dharmātmā samprāptaṁ dharmacāriṇam | śāstravan madhuparkeṇa pūjayāmāsa dharmarāṭ ||

Translation

Seeing that righteous, dharma-observing person arrive, King Yudhiṣṭhira—himself devoted to dharma—honoured him in accordance with scriptural injunctions by offering the madhuparka.

Word by Word

तम्him

अभिप्रेक्ष्यhaving seen / having looked at

धर्मात्माthe righteous-souled one

सम्प्राप्तम्arrived / come

धर्मचारिणम्one who practices dharma

शास्त्रवत्according to scripture / as enjoined

मधुपर्केणwith madhuparka (honey-mixture offering)

पूजयामासhonored / worshipped

धर्मराट्the king of dharma (Yudhishthira)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja, Dharmarāṭ)

madhuparka

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?

A righteous ruler upholds dharma by honouring virtuous guests according to śāstric procedure; ethical kingship is shown through disciplined hospitality and reverence for dharma-practitioners.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira sees a dharma-observing person arrive and formally receives him with the traditional madhuparka offering, following scriptural rules of guest-honour.