Shloka 18

Tīrtha-yātrā: Prayāga-saṅgama and Gayaśiras—Rājarṣi Gaya’s Mahāyajña

Devanagari script

अथ व्यासो महाभागस्तथा पर्वतनारदौ,इतनेहीमें महाभाग व्यास, पर्वत और नारद आदि मनीषीजन काम्यकवनमें पाण्डुनन्दन युधिष्ठिससे मिलनेके लिये आये। राजा युधिष्ठिरने उनकी विधिपूर्वक पूजा की। उनसे सत्कार पाकर वे महाभाग महर्षि महाराज युधिष्ठिरसे इस प्रकार बोले

Transliteration

atha vyāso mahābhāgas tathā parvata-nāradau kāmyakavanaṃ samāgatāḥ pāṇḍunandanaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraṃ draṣṭum | rājā yudhiṣṭhiras tān vidhivat pūjayām āsa | te satkṛtāḥ prītamanasaḥ mahābhāgā maharṣayaḥ mahārājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram evaṃ vacanam ūcuḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then the illustrious sage Vyāsa, along with the sages Parvata and Nārada, came to the Kāmyaka forest to meet Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Pāṇḍu. King Yudhiṣṭhira received them with due rites and reverent hospitality. Pleased by his welcome, those great seers addressed Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira in these words—preparing to offer counsel grounded in dharma, humility, and the duties of a righteous king even in exile.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• व्यासः: Vyasa
• व्यासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाभागः: greatly fortunate/noble
• महाभागः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• पर्वत: Parvata (sage)
• पर्वत: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नारदौ: Narada (dual form as in the received text)
• नारदौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vyāsa
• Parvata (sage)
• Nārada
• Kāmyaka forest (Kāmyakavana)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pāṇḍu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in adversity and exile, a righteous king upholds dharma through humility, proper conduct, and reverent hospitality toward sages; such respect becomes the gateway to receiving higher counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa arrives at the Kāmyaka forest with Parvata and Nārada to meet Yudhiṣṭhira. Yudhiṣṭhira honors them according to ritual propriety, and, pleased with his reception, the sages begin to address him—introducing the forthcoming instruction.