Shloka 40
Nakula’s Declaration and the Uñchavṛtti Brāhmaṇa’s Superior Merit (Āśvamedhika Parva, Adhyāya 92)
वैशम्पायन उवाच एतत् पूर्व न पृष्टो5हं न चास्माभि: प्रभाषितम् | श्रूयतां नकुलो योडसौ यथा वाक् तस्य मानुषी,वैशम्पायनजीने कहा--राजन्! यह बात न तो तुमने पहले पूछी थी और न मैंने बतायी थी। अब पूछते हो तो सुनो। वह नकुल कौन था और उसकी मनुष्योंकी-सी बोली कैसे हुई, यह सब बता रहा हूँ
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: etat pūrvaṁ na pṛṣṭo ’haṁ na cāsmābhiḥ prabhāṣitam | śrūyatāṁ Nakulo yo ’sau yathā vāk tasya mānuṣī ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, you did not ask this earlier, nor had I spoken of it. Now that you inquire, listen. I shall explain who that Nakula was, and how it came to be that his speech was like that of human beings.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined storytelling: a narrator speaks when prompted, and gives a clear, ordered explanation. It models respectful inquiry and responsible transmission of knowledge.
Vaiśampāyana tells the king that this topic had not been asked before, but since it is now requested, he will explain who Nakula is and why Nakula’s speech is described as human-like.