Shloka 15

Ajñātavāsa-saṅkalpaḥ — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Resolve and Dhaumya’s Exempla on Concealment

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्त: पितृराजस्तां भगवान्‌ स्वचिकीर्षितम्‌ | यथावत्‌ सर्वमाख्यातुं तत्प्रियार्थ प्रचक्रमे,मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठिर! सावित्रीके इस प्रकार पूछनेपर पितृराज भगवान्‌ यमने उसका प्रिय करनेके लिये अपना सारा अभिप्राय यथार्थरूपसे बताना आरम्भ किया

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ity uktaḥ pitṛrājas tāṃ bhagavān svacikīrṣitam | yathāvat sarvam ākhyātuṃ tatpriyārthaṃ pracakrame ||

Translation

Markandeya said: Thus addressed, the blessed Lord Yama, king of the departed, began to explain—truthfully and in full—his entire intention, in order to grant her what was dear to her.

Word by Word

मार्कण्डेयःMarkandeya

उवाचsaid

इतिthus

उक्तःhaving been addressed / spoken to

पितृराजःthe king of the Pitrs (Yama)

ताम्her

भगवान्the venerable one / Lord

स्वचिकीर्षितम्his own intended purpose

यथावत्properly, as it really is

सर्वम्everything

आख्यातुम्to tell, to explain

तत्that

प्रियार्थम्for (her) dear purpose / to please her

प्रचक्रमेbegan, set about

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Yama (Pitṛrāja)

Sāvitrī

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?

Even the lord of death acts within dharma: he responds to sincere, righteous speech by revealing the truth of his intention and moving to fulfill what is just and dear, showing that ethical conduct and truthful dialogue can soften even the harshest decree.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Sāvitrī questions Yama, Markandeya narrates that Yama—addressed directly—begins to explain his full purpose accurately, preparing to grant her request and continue the unfolding of the Sāvitrī episode.