Shloka 10

Aśvamedha-saṃbhāra: Return of the Horse, Auspicious Timing, and Construction of the Yajña Enclosure

Devanagari script

समीपे च महाबाहुमाचष्ट च मम प्रभो । कुरु कार्याणि कौन्तेय हयमेधार्थसिद्धये,'प्रभो! उसने यह भी बताया है कि महाबाहु अर्जुन अब निकट आ गये हैं। अतः कुन्तीनन्दन! अब आप अभश्वमेधयज्ञकी सिद्धिके लिये आवश्यक कार्य आरम्भ कर दीजिये”

Transliteration

samīpe ca mahābāhum ācakṣṭa ca mama prabho | kuru kāryāṇi kaunteya hayamedhārthasiddhaye ||

Translation

વૈશમ્પાયન બોલ્યા—તેને વધુમાં કહ્યું: ‘હે પ્રભુ! મહાબાહુ અર્જુન હવે નજીક આવી ગયો છે.’ તેથી, હે કૌંતેય, અશ્વમેધયજ્ઞની સિદ્ધિ માટે જરૂરી કાર્યો આરંભ કરો.

Word by Word

समीपेnear, in proximity

चand

महाबाहुम्the mighty-armed (one)

आचष्टtold, reported

चalso/and

ममof me, my

प्रभोO lord

कुरुdo, perform

कार्याणिtasks, things to be done

कौन्तेयO son of Kunti

हयमेधार्थसिद्धयेfor the accomplishment of the purpose of the horse-sacrifice

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Yudhiṣṭhira (Kaunteya)

Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes timely performance of one’s royal and ritual duties: when the needed support (Arjuna’s presence) is secured, the king should proceed with the required actions to complete a dharmic undertaking (the Aśvamedha) successfully.

What is happening in the narrative?

A messenger/report informs the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) that Arjuna has come close/returned nearby; consequently, Yudhiṣṭhira is urged to commence the necessary arrangements to bring the Aśvamedha sacrifice to its intended completion.