Shloka 18
Devanagari script
ततोअब्रवीद् वासुदेवो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम्
Transliteration
tato 'bravīd vāsudevo dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram
Translation
Then Vāsudeva addressed Yudhiṣṭhira, the king devoted to dharma—signaling a moment where righteous rule and moral responsibility are to be clarified through counsel.
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (स्थान/कालवाचक)
अब्रवीत्said, spoke
अब्रवीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (धातु)
Formलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्
वासुदेवःVasudeva (Krishna)
वासुदेवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
धर्मराजम्to Dharmaraja (the righteous king)
धर्मराजम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
युधिष्ठिरम्Yudhishthira
युधिष्ठिरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)Y
Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja)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
The verse frames an ethical instruction scene: Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) is about to counsel Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja), emphasizing that righteous kingship requires guidance grounded in dharma and reflective judgment.
After preceding events, the narrator indicates a transition: Vāsudeva begins speaking directly to Yudhiṣṭhira, preparing the audience for advice or clarification on duty, rule, or moral resolution within the Ashvamedhika Parva context.