Shloka 26

Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)

Devanagari script

कुटुम्बतन्त्रे च तदा सहदेवं॑ युधां पतिम्‌ । अनुमान्य महीपाल धृतराष्ट्र युधिष्ठिर:

Transliteration

kutuṃba-tantre ca tadā sahadevaṃ yudhāṃ patim | anumānya mahīpāla dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Ensuite, ayant obtenu l’assentiment du roi Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yudhiṣṭhira nomma Sahadeva —seigneur parmi les guerriers— à l’administration des affaires du foyer et de la famille, afin que l’ordre domestique et les dépendants fussent entretenus selon le devoir.

Word by Word

• कुटुम्बतन्त्रे: in the management of the household
• कुटुम्बतन्त्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटुम्बतन्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• सहदेवम्: Sahadeva
• सहदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युधाम्: of battles / of warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• पतिम्: lord, master
• पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुमान्य: having obtained consent / having consulted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√मन्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• महीपालम्: the king (protector of the earth)
• महीपालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Sahadeva
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Righteous rule includes orderly care of households and dependents, and wise governance proceeds through consultation and legitimate assent—here, Yudhiṣṭhira acts with restraint and propriety by securing Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s approval and assigning a capable person to domestic administration.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Ashvamedhika context of reorganizing the kingdom after upheaval, Yudhiṣṭhira, with Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s consent, entrusts Sahadeva—renowned as a warrior—with responsibility for managing matters connected with household/family maintenance and related administrative duties.