Shloka 7

Āśvamedha-dīkṣā-nirdeśaḥ — Scheduling the Initiation and Assigning Protection for the Horse

Devanagari script

विदुरं पूजयित्वा च वैश्यापुत्र॑ समेत्य च

Transliteration

viduraṁ pūjayitvā ca vaiśyāputraṁ sametya ca

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Après avoir honoré Vidura comme il se doit, et après avoir aussi rencontré le fils d’une vaiśyā, ils poursuivirent selon le respect requis et le devoir social—montrant que la conduite juste commence par la révérence envers les sages et par une courtoisie accordée à tous, sans égard à la naissance.

Word by Word

• विदुरम्: Vidura (as object)
• विदुरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदुर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पूजयित्वा: having honored/worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

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

• वैश्यापुत्रम्: the son of a Vaiśyā (woman of the Vaiśya class)
• वैश्यापुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्यापुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समेत्य: having met/approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-इ
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• vaiśyāputra (son of a vaiśyā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dhārmic etiquette: honoring a virtuous elder like Vidura and engaging respectfully with others, indicating that righteous action is grounded in reverence, humility, and proper social conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates a brief transition: someone (implied by the surrounding context) first pays honor to Vidura and then meets a person described as a vaiśyā’s son, marking the next step in the unfolding events.