Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तव गेहेषु विहित: सदा सुप्रतिपूजित: । साधयिष्यामहे तावदित्युक्त्वान्तरधीयत,राजेन्द्र! पृथाको वह मन्त्र देकर ब्राह्मणने राजा कुन्तिभोजसे कहा--“राजन! मैं तुम्हारे घरमें तुम्हारी कन्याद्वारा सदा समादृत और संतुष्ट होकर बड़े सुखसे रहा हूँ। अब हम अपनी कार्यसिद्धिके लिये यहाँसे जायँगे। ऐसा कहकर वे ब्राह्मण वहीं अन्तर्धान हो गये

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

tava geheṣu vihitaḥ sadā supratipūjitaḥ | sādhayiṣyāmahe tāvad ity uktvāntaradhīyata rājendra |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Having been lodged in your household and always highly honored, I have lived contentedly. Now, for the accomplishment of our purpose, we shall depart.” Saying this, O best of kings, the brāhmaṇa vanished from that very place. The episode underscores the ethic of hospitality and reverence shown to a guest, and the guest’s dignified departure once his intended task is to be fulfilled.

Word by Word

तवof you, your

गेहेषुin (your) houses/home

विहितःplaced/appointed; staying (as arranged)

सदाalways

सुप्रतिपूजितःwell-honoured, duly worshipped

साधयिष्यामहेwe shall accomplish/fulfil

तावत्so long; for the time being; until then

इतिthus

उक्त्वाhaving said

अन्तर्धीयतdisappeared, vanished

राजेन्द्रO king of kings

पृथाकोof Pṛthā (Kuntī)

वःof you (plural), your

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rājendra (the king addressed)

brāhmaṇa (the guest/sage figure)

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 dharma through atithi-satkāra: a householder’s duty to honor and satisfy a guest—especially a brāhmaṇa—and the guest’s propriety in departing once his purpose is to be accomplished, without clinging to comfort or reward.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa, who has been living in the king’s household with great honor, announces that he will now leave to accomplish his intended work; after speaking, he vanishes on the spot, indicating extraordinary spiritual power and a decisive transition in the episode.