Shloka 11

उपहार-विधानम्, यक्षपूजा, रत्ननिध्युद्धारः

Offerings to Tryambaka; Yakṣa honors; Excavation of the Treasure

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्‌ कार्ये द्विजश्रेष्ठा नक्षत्रे दिवसे शुभे

Transliteration

asmin kārye dvijaśreṣṭhā nakṣatre divase śubhe, iti niścitya viprendrāḥ kriyatāṃ yad anantaram |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô meilleurs des deux-fois-nés, après avoir fixé une constellation de bon augure et un jour favorable pour la réussite de cette entreprise, ô premiers des brāhmaṇas, accomplissez sur-le-champ ce qu’il convient de faire ensuite. Ne laissez pas un temps excessif se perdre en demeurant suspendus dans l’indécision ; tranchez la question et exécutez promptement ce qui est juste.»

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कार्ये: in the task/matter
• कार्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: O best of twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नक्षत्रे: in/at an asterism
• नक्षत्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दिवसे: on a day
• दिवसे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• निश्चित्य: having decided/determined
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + चि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• विप्रेन्द्राः: O lords among Brahmins
• विप्रेन्द्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र-इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्रियताम्: let it be done / may it be performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperative, Passive, Third, Singular

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अनन्तरम्: immediately/next, without delay
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvija (brāhmaṇas)
• vipra (brāhmaṇas)
• nakṣatra (asterism)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Right action (dharma) includes timely, well-considered execution: choose auspicious conditions with competent counsel, then avoid procrastination and proceed promptly with what is proper.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports an instruction addressed to leading brāhmaṇas: they should fix an auspicious nakṣatra and day for the undertaking’s success and then immediately perform the next required steps, rather than losing time in delay.