Shloka 17

Devanagari script

नद्धं च भाजनं राजंस्तुलार्थमभवन्नूप । वाहन पाण्डुपुत्रस्य तत्रासीत्‌ तु विशाम्पते

Transliteration

naddhaṃ ca bhājanaṃ rājan tulārtham abhavan nṛpa | vāhanaṃ pāṇḍuputrasya tatrāsīt tu viśāṃpate ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「王よ、器物は堅く封じ結ばれ、統治者よ、その荷は重量により等分されて釣り合うよう整えられていた。そして民の主よ、般度の子（ユディシュティラ）の運搬車両もまた、これらを運ぶためにそこに備えられていた。」

Word by Word

• नद्धम्: bound, tied up
• नद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नद्ध (√नह्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भाजनम्: vessel, utensil; container
• भाजनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाजन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तुलार्थम्: for weighing; for the purpose of weighing
• तुलार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला + अर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभवत्: was; became
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वाहनम्: vehicle; conveyance
• वाहनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्डुपुत्रस्य: of the son of Pāṇḍu (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• पाण्डुपुत्रस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• आसीत्: was; existed; stood
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• तु: but; indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• King (Janamejaya, implied addressee)
• Pāṇḍuputra (Yudhiṣṭhira, implied)
• vāhana (transport vehicles)
• bhājana (utensils/vessels)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic kingship through careful stewardship: resources are secured, measured fairly, and transported responsibly—order and equity in practical affairs supporting larger righteous aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Aśvamedha-related proceedings, the narrator describes logistical arrangements: utensils are tied up and distributed into balanced loads, and Yudhiṣṭhira’s vehicles are present to carry these prepared burdens.