Shloka 16
Devanagari script
वाचा च मनसा चैव नमस्कार प्रयुज्य सा
Transliteration
vācā ca manasā caiva namaskāraṃ prayujya sā
Translation
Bṛhadaśva said: “With both speech and mind, she offered a reverent salutation.” The line emphasizes that true respect is not merely verbal or outward, but must be joined with inward intention—an ethical ideal of sincerity in conduct.
Word by Word
वाचाby speech/with words
वाचा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवाच् (स्त्री.)
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
मनसाby mind/mentally
मनसा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमनस् (नपुं.)
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
नमस्कारम्salutation/obeisance
नमस्कारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनमस्कार (पुं.)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
प्रयुज्यhaving offered/after performing
प्रयुज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + युज्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)
साshe
सा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
बृहदश्व उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BṛhadaśvaS
she (unnamed female 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
The verse teaches that genuine reverence must be twofold: expressed outwardly through words and inwardly through the mind. Ethical conduct in dharma is measured not only by external formality but by sincere intention.
Bṛhadaśva, narrating events, describes a woman’s act of respectful greeting: she offers namaskāra both verbally and mentally, indicating complete and sincere deference in the situation being recounted.