Mahabharata — Sabha Parva, Shloka 22

यमसभावर्णनम् (Yamasabhā-varṇanam) — Nārada’s Description of Dharmarāja’s Assembly

Devanagari script

अरिष्टनेमि: सुद्युम्न: पृथुलाश्वोडष्टकस्तथा । शतं मत्स्या नृपतय: शतं नीपा: शतं गया:

Transliteration

ariṣṭanemiḥ sudyumnaḥ pṛthulāśvo ḍaṣṭakas tathā | śataṁ matsyā nṛpatayaḥ śataṁ nīpāḥ śataṁ gayāḥ ||

Translation

Nārada dit : «Ariṣṭanemi, Sudyumna, Pṛthulāśva et Ḍaṣṭaka ; de même, cent rois des Matsyas, cent des Nīpas et cent des Gayas.»

Word by Word

• अरिष्टनेमिः: Arishtanemi (a king/person named Arishtanemi)
• अरिष्टनेमिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्टनेमि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुद्युम्नः: Sudyumna (a king/person named Sudyumna)
• सुद्युम्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुद्युम्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथुलाश्वः: Prithulashva (a king/person named Prithulashva)
• पृथुलाश्वः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथुलाश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उडष्टकः: Udashṭaka (a king/person named Udashṭaka)
• उडष्टकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उडष्टक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मत्स्याः: Matsyas (the Matsya kings/people)
• मत्स्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नृपतयः: kings
• नृपतयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• नीपाः: Nipas (a people/tribe or kings called Nipa)
• नीपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गयाः: Gayas (a people/tribe or kings called Gaya)
• गयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ariṣṭanemi
• Sudyumna
• Pṛthulāśva
• Ḍaṣṭaka
• Matsya (people/kingdom)
• Nīpa (people/lineage)
• Gaya (people/lineage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse functions as a reminder of the breadth of royal lineages and the transience of worldly power: many kings arise and are counted, but lasting worth lies in dharmic rule and right conduct rather than mere numbers or fame.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is listing notable kings and groups of rulers—named individuals followed by large counts of kings from particular peoples/lineages (Matsyas, Nīpas, Gayas)—as part of a broader catalog of royal houses in the Sabha Parva context.