Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ततो द्वैपायनस्तस्मै नरेन्द्राय महात्मने । आचख्यौ तद्‌ यथा धर्मो बहूनामेकपत्निता,तदनन्तर व्यासजीने उन महात्मा नरेशको वह कथा सुनायी, जिसके अनुसार यहाँ बहुत-से पुरुषोंका एक ही पत्नीसे विवाह करना धर्मसम्मत माना गया

Transliteration

tato dvaipāyanas tasmai narendrāya mahātmane | ācakhyau tad yathā dharmo bahūnām ekapatnitā ||

Translation

Then Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) explained to that great-souled king how the rule of dharma stands in this matter—namely, that for many men, having a single wife (i.e., monogamy) is regarded as the proper and sanctioned conduct.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

द्वैपायनःDvaipayana (Vyasa)

तस्मैto him

नरेन्द्रायto the king

महात्मनेto the great-souled (one)

आचख्यौtold, narrated

तत्that (matter)

यथाas, according to how

धर्मःdharma, law, right conduct

बहूनाम्of many

एकपत्निताthe state of having one wife (monogamy)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)

narendra (the king)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vyāsa frames marital conduct in terms of dharma, stating that the accepted norm for many men is ekapatnitā—having one wife—presented as ethically sanctioned behavior.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that Vyāsa addresses a king and explains the dharmic principle relevant to the situation, specifically the rule concerning one-wife marriage.