Shloka 16
Devanagari script
वाचा च मनसा चैव नमस्कार प्रयुज्य सा
Transliteration
vācā ca manasā caiva namaskāraṃ prayujya sā
Translation
Bṛhadaśva said: “With both speech and mind, she offered a reverent salutation.”
Word by Word
वाचाby speech/with words
वाचा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवाच् (स्त्री.)
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
मनसाby mind/mentally
मनसा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमनस् (नपुं.)
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
नमस्कारम्salutation/obeisance
नमस्कारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनमस्कार (पुं.)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
प्रयुज्यhaving offered/after performing
प्रयुज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + युज्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)
साshe
सा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
बृहदश्व उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BṛhadaśvaS
she (unnamed female figure)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
The verse teaches that genuine reverence must be twofold: expressed outwardly through words and inwardly through the mind. Ethical conduct in dharma is measured not only by external formality but by sincere intention.
Bṛhadaśva, narrating events, describes a woman’s act of respectful greeting: she offers namaskāra both verbally and mentally, indicating complete and sincere deference in the situation being recounted.