Shloka 24

Devanagari script

कुमारा योधमुख्याश्च गणिकाश्न स्वलंकृता: । वादित्राणि च सर्वाणि प्रत्युद्यान्तु सुतं मम

Transliteration

kumārā yodhamukhyāś ca gaṇikāś ca suvalaṅkṛtāḥ | vāditrāṇi ca sarvāṇi pratyudyāntu sutaṃ mama ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Let the princes and foremost warriors, and the courtesans adorned in fine attire, along with every kind of musical instrument, go forth to welcome my son.”

Word by Word

• कुमाराः: boys/young princes
• कुमाराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• योधमुख्याः: chief warriors
• योधमुख्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योधमुख्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• गणिकाः: courtesans
• गणिकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणिका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वलङ्कृताः: well-adorned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वलङ्कृत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• वादित्राणि: musical instruments
• वादित्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादित्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वाणि: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• प्रत्युद्यान्तु: let (them) go forth to meet / welcome
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उद्-या
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मम: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• kumārāḥ (princes)
• yodhamukhyāḥ (chief warriors)
• gaṇikāḥ (courtesans/entertainers)
• vāditrāṇi (musical instruments)
• suta (the speaker’s son)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharma of reception and public honor in royal culture: welcoming a returning or arriving person—especially one of significance—through orderly participation of court members and auspicious music, reflecting social roles and ceremonial propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

A formal welcome is being arranged: princes, leading warriors, and entertainers, together with all musical instruments, are instructed to go out in procession to receive “my son,” indicating a celebratory, court-sanctioned reception.