Shloka 20

Aśvamedha-saṃbhāra: Return of the Horse, Auspicious Timing, and Construction of the Yajña Enclosure

Devanagari script

तं॑ भवान्‌ मदपेक्षार्थ विधिवत्‌ प्रतिपूजयेत्‌ । स तु भक्तो<नुरक्तश्न मम नित्यमिति प्रभो,“प्रभो! उसकी सदा मेरे प्रति बड़ी भक्ति और अनुरक्ति रहती है। इसलिये आप मेरी अपेक्षासे उसका विधिपूर्वक विशेष सत्कार करें”

Transliteration

taṁ bhavān madapekṣārthaṁ vidhivat pratipūjayet | sa tu bhakto'nuraktaś ca mama nityam iti prabho ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “For my sake, you should honor him duly and with special respect. He is always devoted to me and steadfastly attached in loyalty, O lord.”

Word by Word

तम्him

भवान्you (honorific)

मत्of me / my

अपेक्षा-अर्थम्for my sake / out of regard for me

विधिवत्according to rule, duly

प्रतिपूजयेत्should honor / should duly receive

सःhe

तुbut / indeed

भक्तःdevoted

अनुरक्तःattached, affectionate

ममof me / to me

नित्यम्always

इतिthus (quotative)

प्रभोO lord

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should extend proper, rule-guided honor to a worthy person—especially when requested by a respected intermediary—because devotion and loyal service merit recognition; such reception is presented as a dharmic act of gratitude and right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker conveys a request to a lordly addressee: receive and honor a particular person in the prescribed manner, explicitly stating that the person is continually devoted and loyal to the speaker, and therefore deserves special respect.