Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

तदुपश्रुत्य तत्‌ कर्म वासुदेवस्य धीमत:

Transliteration

tad upaśrutya tat karma vāsudevasya dhīmataḥ

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Ayant appris cet acte accompli par le sage Vāsudeva, ils s’en firent la réflexion, reconnaissant le poids du dharma et l’intention résolue qui animait son action.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (deed/matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• उपश्रुत्य: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-श्रु (धातु: श्रु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage), non-finite

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कर्म: act, deed
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• वासुदेवस्य: of Vāsudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• धीमतः: of the wise/intelligent (one)
• धीमतः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical discernment: actions (karma) gain significance not only by what is done but by the wisdom and intention of the doer. Hearing of a wise person’s deed prompts reflection on its dharmic purpose and consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, marks a transition: someone has heard about a particular act carried out by Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa), and the story is about to describe the response or ensuing events based on that report.