Shloka 14

Mahāprasthānika-parva Adhyāya 2: The Northward March, Sight of Himavat and Meru, and the Sequential Falls

Devanagari script

योअड्यमक्षतधथर्मात्मा भ्राता वचनकारक: । रूपेणाप्रतिमो लोके नकुल: पतितो भुवि

Transliteration

yo ’dhyam akṣata-dharmātmā bhrātā vacana-kārakaḥ | rūpeṇāpratimo loke nakulaḥ patito bhuvi ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: «¿Por qué ha caído Nakula a la tierra—Nakula, nuestro hermano cuya rectitud no sufrió jamás la menor mancha, que siempre cumplía nuestras órdenes y cuya hermosura no tenía igual en el mundo?»

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अद्यम्: today/now
• अद्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्यम्

• अक्षत: uninjured, unbroken
• अक्षत: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वचनकारकः: one who carries out (others') words/commands
• वचनकारकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वचनकारक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रूपेण: by/with (his) beauty/appearance
• रूपेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अप्रतिमः: unmatched, incomparable
• अप्रतिमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रतिम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पतितः: fallen
• पतितः: Karta
• Type: Participle
• Root: पतित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle), पत्

• भुवि: on the ground/earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nakula

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even conspicuous virtues—beauty, outward righteousness, and dutiful service—do not guarantee freedom from downfall if subtle inner faults remain. In the Mahāprasthāna sequence, each fall points to a specific attachment or pride that obstructs the final ascent.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Pāṇḍavas’ great departure, Nakula collapses on the path. The speaker (through Vaiśampāyana’s narration) voices the astonishment: Nakula seemed flawless in dharma, obedient to his brothers, and unmatched in beauty—so why has he fallen?