Shloka 148

Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout

Devanagari script

तावथाचख्यतुस्तस्मै प्रियं प्रियकरी तदा

Transliteration

tāvathācakhyatus tasmai priyaṃ priyakarī tadā

Translation

तब उन दोनों ने उसे वही समाचार कहे जो उसे प्रिय लगें—मन को भाने वाली बातें।

Word by Word

• तावत्: then/so long; thereupon
• तावत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत्
• Form: indeclinable (temporal/quantitative adverb)

• अचख्यतुः: the two told/declared
• अचख्यतुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चक्ष्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, dual, parasmaipada

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, dative, singular

• प्रियम्: a pleasing thing; what is dear
• प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• प्रियकरी: pleasing; one who does what is dear
• प्रियकरी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियकरिन्
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: indeclinable (temporal adverb)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• unnamed dual speakers (two persons)
• unnamed recipient (him)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical tension in speech: conveying what is merely pleasing (priyam) and designed to gratify (priyakarī) can drift away from truthful, responsible communication—especially in a war’s aftermath where consequences are grave.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sañjaya’s narration, two individuals (implied by the dual verb ācakhyatuḥ) deliver a report to a certain person, choosing to present agreeable, pleasing information at that moment.