Shloka 4

Śulka, Kanyā, and Dauhitra-Riktha: Discourse on Bride-Price and Inheritance Rights (शुल्क-कन्या-दौहित्र-रिक्थविचारः)

Devanagari script

अथ काले व्यतिक्रान्ते कस्मिंश्चित्‌ कुरुनन्दन । रुच्या भगिन्या आदानं प्रभूतधनधान्यवत्‌

Transliteration

atha kāle vyatikrānte kasmiṁścit kurunandana | rucyā bhaginyā ādānaṁ prabhūtadhana-dhānyavat ||

Translation

Bhishma dit : «Après quelque temps, ô joie des Kuru, survint l’occasion d’une fête de mariage dans la maison de la sœur aînée de Ruci, événement qui requérait la dépense d’abondantes richesses et de grains.»

Word by Word

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

• काले: in time/when time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यतिक्रान्ते: having passed/elapsed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+अति+क्रम्
• Form: क्त, past passive participle, Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कस्मिंश्चित्: in some (time/place)
• कस्मिंश्चित्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular, with enclitic चित् = 'some/any'

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु-नन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• रुच्या: by/with Rucyā (Ruchi)
• रुच्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुचि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• भगिन्या: by the sister
• भगिन्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगिनी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• आदानम्: taking/receiving; collection (of gifts)
• आदानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रभूत: abundant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभूत
• Form: क्त, adjectival PPP, Neuter, Accusative, Singular, with धनधान्यवत् (understood neuter accusative singular as predicate/qualifier)

• धन: wealth
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Stem (in compound)

• धान्यवत्: possessing grain (and wealth)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धान्यवत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, धन-धान्यवत् = 'possessing wealth and grain'

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Kurunandana)
• Ruci
• Ruci’s elder sister

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dharma in everyday social life: major rites like marriage are legitimate, resource-intensive obligations, and fulfilling them responsibly reflects householders’ duty toward family and society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma continues his account by noting that after some time, a marriage celebration arose at the home of Ruci’s elder sister, requiring considerable expenditure of wealth and provisions.