Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

यवप्रस्थं तु त॑ं सक्तूनकुर्वन्त तपस्विन: । कृतजप्याद्विकास्ते तु हुत्वा चाग्निंयथाविधि

Transliteration

yavaprasthaṃ tu taṃ saktūn akurvanta tapasvinaḥ | kṛtajapyādvikās te tu hutvā cāgniṃ yathāvidhi

Translation

Nakula said: “Those ascetics would prepare parched-grain flour (saktu) from that barley-meal, and—having completed their recitations and other prescribed observances—would then offer oblations into the fire according to rule.”

Word by Word

यवप्रस्थम्a yava-measure (a prastha of barley; a measure of grain)

तुbut/indeed

तम्him/that (one)

सक्तून्parched grain/flour-balls (saktu)

अकुर्वन्तthey made/prepared

तपस्विनःascetics

कृतजप्याद्विकाःthose who had completed their japa and other rites

तेthey

तुand/but

हुत्वाhaving offered (oblations)

चand

अग्निम्the fire

यथाas/according to

विधिthe prescribed rule/rite

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nakula

tapasvinaḥ (ascetics)

agni (sacrificial fire)

saktu (parched-grain flour)

yava (barley)

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?

The verse highlights disciplined living: simple food, completed recitation and observances, and ritual action performed strictly according to injunction—suggesting that inner restraint and orderly practice uphold dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula describes ascetics who subsist on a simple barley preparation, perform japa and related observances, and then offer oblations into the sacrificial fire in the proper prescribed manner.