Shloka 3

Śaṅkha–Likhita Upākhyāna: Daṇḍa, Confession, and the Purification of Kingship (शङ्ख-लिखितोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

प्रशाधि पृथिवीं पार्थ ययातिरिव नाहुष:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | praśādhi pṛthivīṃ pārtha yayātir iva nāhuṣaḥ |

Translation

वैशम्पायन बोले—हे पार्थ! नहुषपुत्र ययाति की भाँति इस पृथ्वी का शासन और पालन करो। हे कुन्तीनन्दन! तुम्हारे तपस्वी भाइयों ने वनवास में महान दुःख सहे हैं; नरव्याघ्र! अब उस कष्ट के बाद वे सुख का अनुभव करें।

Word by Word

• प्रशाधि: rule, govern
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शास्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• पृथिवीम्: the earth, kingdom
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• पार्थ: O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna/Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• ययातिः: Yayāti
• ययातिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• नाहुषः: of Nahusha
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाहुष
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Kuntī
• Yayāti
• Nahuṣa
• Pāṇḍava brothers
• Pṛthivī (the earth/kingdom)
• Vana (forest/exile setting)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse urges righteous kingship (rājadharma): rule the realm firmly and justly, taking exemplary past rulers as models, and ensure that those who have endured hardship—especially one’s own kin who practiced austerity in exile—receive protection and well-being.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses Pārtha (Arjuna), exhorting him to govern the earth like King Yayāti. The statement frames the post-exile/post-suffering transition: the Pāṇḍavas, having borne severe difficulties during forest exile, should now be allowed to enjoy peace and happiness under proper rule.