Shloka 17
अर्जुनदुःखहेतुप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the cause of Arjuna’s recurring hardship
Book 14, Chapter 89
Devanagari script
दत्तैषा भवता महां तां ते प्रतिददाम्पहम्
Transliteration
dattaivā bhavatā mahāṁ tāṁ te pratidadāmy aham
Translation
વૈશંપાયન બોલ્યા—આ મહાન દાન તમે આપ્યું છે; હું તે ફરી તમને જ પરત આપું છું.
Word by Word
दत्ताgiven (has been given)
दत्ता:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
एषाthis (she/this thing)
एषा:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
भवताby you (sir)
भवता:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootभवत्
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
महाम्great
महाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
ताम्that (her/that thing)
ताम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Formचतुर्थी, एकवचन
प्रतिददामिI give back / I return
प्रतिददामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) with प्रति- (प्रत्यय/उपसर्ग) → प्रतिदा
Formलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, एकवचन
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Formप्रथमा, एकवचन
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśaṃpāyanaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical reciprocity and restraint: even when a great gift is offered, one may choose to return it, signaling detachment, propriety, or a higher sense of dharma rather than mere acceptance.
In Vaiśaṃpāyana’s narration, a speaker acknowledges having received a significant offering from another and immediately returns it, indicating a formal exchange shaped by honor, duty, and the moral tone of the Ashvamedha-related events.