Mahabharata 1.4.3 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 4, Shloka 3

उग्रश्रवाः सूतः नैमिषारण्ये — Sauti at Naimiṣāraṇya

Protocol of Epic Recitation

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत आदिपर्वके अन्तर्गत पौष्यपर्वमें (पौष्पाख्यानविषयक) तीयरा अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

tam ṛṣaya ūcuḥ: paramaṃ laumaharṣaṇe vakṣyāmas tvāṃ naḥ prativakṣyasi vacaḥ; śuśrūṣatāṃ kathāyogaṃ naḥ kathāyoge.

Translation

すると仙人たちは言った。「ローマハルシャナの子よ、われらは汝に最上の題目を告げよう。汝はそれに応えて、われらに語り聞かせよ。物語の機が熟したなら、聞くことを切に望むわれらの前で、数多の物語を語るがよい。」

Word by Word

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

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• परम्: supreme, excellent
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लौमहर्षणे: O son of Lomaharṣaṇa (Ugraśravas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लौमहर्षण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वक्ष्यामः: we shall tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future, 1st, Plural, Parasmaipada

• त्वाम्: to you
• त्वाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• प्रतिवक्ष्यसि: you will reply / speak in return
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (प्रति + वच्)
• Form: Simple Future, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शुश्रूषताम्: of those wishing to listen/serve attentively
• Type: Kridanta
• Root: शुश्रूषत्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• कथायोगम्: the connection/occasion of the narrative
• कथायोगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा + योग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• कथायोगे: in the narrative context/occasion
• कथायोगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा + योग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

उत्तड़क उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ऋषि (sages)
• लोमहर्षणकुमार (Laumaharṣaṇa; son/descendant of Lomaharṣaṇa—Ugraśravas Sauti)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and cultural ideal of preserving sacred history through disciplined listening and faithful retelling: knowledge is transmitted by a reciprocal bond—teachers share what is excellent, and the learned narrator returns it accurately for eager listeners.

What is happening in the narrative?

The sages address Laumaharṣaṇa’s son (Sauti), telling him they will present an excellent topic and expecting him, when the proper narrative occasion arises, to recount many connected stories to them as attentive listeners—setting up the frame for extended narration.