Shloka 4

Adhyāya 123 — Droṇa’s Pedagogy: Arjuna’s Preeminence, Ekalavya’s Self-Training, and the Bhāsa-Lakṣya Trial

Devanagari script

विहस्य तां ततो ब्रूया: कुन्ति कि ते ददाम्यहम्‌ । सा त॑ विहस्यमानापि पुत्र देहुब्रवीदिदम्‌

Transliteration

vihasya tāṁ tato brūyāḥ: kunti ki te dadāmy aham | sā taṁ vihasyamānāpi putra dehūbravīd idam ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。――彼は彼女に微笑みかけて言った。「クンティーよ、何を授けようか。」戯れるような笑みを含んだ問いであったが、クンティーは答えた。「子をお授けください。」

Word by Word

• विहस्य: having laughed
• Type: Verb
• Root: विहस् (धातु: हस्)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे अव्ययभावः), कर्तरि, पूर्वकर्म

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ब्रूयाः: you should say
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, Optative, Second, Singular, परस्मैपद

• कुन्ति: O Kunti
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्ती
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• कि: what
• कि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• ददामि: I give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, Present, First, Singular, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• सा: she
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विहस्यमाना: laughing / being amused
• Type: Verb
• Root: विहस् (धातु: हस्)
• Form: शानच् (वर्तमानकाले), कर्तरि, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पुत्रम्: a son
• पुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• देहि: give (to me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, Imperative, Second, Singular, परस्मैपद

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, Perfect (narrative past), Third, Singular, परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kuntī
• Dharma (as the interlocutor in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic framing of desire: Kuntī’s request for a son is presented as a legitimate, duty-aligned aim tied to lineage and responsibility, not mere personal whim.

What is happening in the narrative?

A divine/authoritative figure (contextually Dharma) playfully asks Kuntī what boon she wants; Kuntī responds directly by asking for a son.