Shloka 22

Devanagari script

त्रिषष्टिवर्णसंयुक्तमष्टस्थानसमीरितम्‌ । वाचयेद्‌ वाचक: स्वस्थ: स्वासीन: सुसमाहित:,तिरसठ अक्षरोंका उनके आठों स्थानोंसे ठीक-ठीक उच्चारण करे। कथा सुनाते समय वाचकके लिये स्वस्थ और एकाग्रचित्त होना आवश्यक है। उसके लिये आसन ऐसा होना चाहिये जिसपर वह सुखपूर्वक बैठ सके

Transliteration

triṣaṣṭivarṇasaṃyuktam aṣṭasthānasamīritam | vācayed vācakaḥ svasthaḥ svāsīnaḥ susamāhitaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Let the reciter deliver the text—composed of the sixty-three phonetic units—articulated correctly from the eight places of pronunciation. While narrating, the reader should be healthy, seated comfortably, and deeply composed in concentration.”

Word by Word

त्रिषष्टिवर्णसंयुक्तम्endowed with (i.e., consisting of) sixty-three letters

अष्टस्थानसमीरितम्uttered/produced from the eight places (of articulation)

वाचयेत्should cause to be recited / should recite (as a reader)

वाचकःthe reciter / narrator

स्वस्थःhealthy, at ease

स्वासीनःseated comfortably

सुसमाहितःwell-collected, fully attentive

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

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?

The verse teaches disciplined, accurate recitation: correct phonetic articulation (from the recognized places of pronunciation) and the ethical posture of the narrator—health, steadiness, proper seating, and focused attention—so that sacred narration is transmitted without distortion.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Svargārohaṇa context, Vaiśaṃpāyana pauses to state a normative guideline for how the Mahābhārata should be recited and heard: the reciter must pronounce properly and maintain physical and mental composure while delivering the story.