Shloka 1066

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

सभार्य: सहपुत्रश्न सस्नुषश्न दिवं व्रज । “ब्रह्म! मेरी ओर देखो

Transliteration

sabhāryaḥ sahaputraś ca sasnuṣaś ca divaṃ vraja | “brahman! mama oraṃ paśya, ahaṃ dharmo ’smi | yūyaṃ sarve yathā-icchaṃ asmin vimāne āruhya | tvayā asya śarīrasya uddhāraḥ kṛtaḥ, loke ca tava acalā kīrtiḥ sthāsyati | tvaṃ patnyā putreṇa ca snuṣayā ca saha svargalokaṃ gaccha” ||

Translation

Sang mertua berkata: “Pergilah ke surga bersama istrimu, putramu, dan menantumu. Wahai brāhmaṇa, pandanglah kepadaku—akulah Dharma. Naiklah kalian semua ke wimana ini sesuai kehendak. Dengan laku benar kalian telah menebus tubuh ini, dan di dunia kemasyhuran kalian akan tetap teguh. Pergilah, bersama istri, putra, dan menantu, ke alam surga.”

Word by Word

• स: he
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भार्यः: with (his) wife
• भार्यः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्य
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• पुत्रैः: with sons
• पुत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• स: he
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• स्नुषाभिः: with daughters-in-law
• स्नुषाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नुषा
• Form: feminine, instrumental, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• व्रज: go
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज्
• Form: imperative, 2nd, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

श्षशुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• श्वशुर (father-in-law)
• ब्रह्मन् (Brahmin addressee)
• धर्म (Dharma, personified)
• पत्नी (wife)
• पुत्र (son)
• स्नुषा (daughter-in-law)
• विमान (celestial chariot)
• दिव/स्वर्गलोक (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Righteous conduct (dharma) is portrayed as salvific: it uplifts a person even in embodied life and yields enduring social honor. Dharma, personified, confirms that ethical integrity brings both transcendent reward (svarga) and lasting reputation (kīrti).

What is happening in the narrative?

A figure identified as the father-in-law addresses a Brahmin and reveals, “I am Dharma.” He invites the Brahmin and his family—wife, son, and daughter-in-law—to board a celestial chariot (vimāna) and ascend to heaven, declaring that the Brahmin’s righteous life has redeemed him and secured lasting fame.