Shloka 59

अध्याय १९० — वामदेव-वाम्य-वृत्तान्तः

The Vāmadeva Horses Episode and the Ethics of Promise

Devanagari script

स चैतान्‌ पुरुषव्याप्र साम्ना परमवल्गुना । सान्त्वयामास मानाहों मनन्‍्यमानो यथाविधि,नरश्रेष्ठ! फिर सम्माननीय श्रीकृष्णने भी इन सबका विधिपूर्वक समादर करते हुए परम मधुर सान्त्वनापूर्ण वचनोंद्वारा इन्हें सब प्रकारसे आश्वासन दिया

Transliteration

sa caitān puruṣavyāghra sāmnā paramavalgūnā | sāntvayāmāsa mānāhān mananyamāno yathāvidhi ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O tiger among men, he then consoled all of them with exceedingly sweet and gentle words. Honouring them properly according to due custom, he reassured them in every way, preserving their dignity even in distress.”

Word by Word

• {'saḥ': 'he', 'ca': 'and', 'etān': 'these (persons)', 'puruṣavyāghra': 'O tiger among men

• an epithet for a noble hero (vocative)', 'sāmnā': 'by words/speech

• by gentle address', 'parama': 'supremely, exceedingly', 'valgūnā': 'sweet, charming, pleasing', 'sāntvayāmāsa': 'consoled, comforted, reassured', 'mānāhān': 'those whose honour/pride has been struck

• the humiliated or downcast', 'mananyamānaḥ': 'showing respect

• treating as worthy of honour', 'yathāvidhi': 'according to rule

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (implied by the Hindi gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in crisis, dharma is upheld through respectful conduct and compassionate speech: one should console the distressed without diminishing their honour, using gentle words and proper etiquette.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes how the central figure (understood here as Śrī Kṛṣṇa) addresses a group who are dejected or humiliated, honours them according to custom, and reassures them with very sweet, calming words.