Shloka 114

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

ततो मयोक्तं तद्‌ वाक्‍्यं प्रहस्य ब्राह्मणर्षभा:

Transliteration

tato mayoktaṁ tad vākyaṁ prahasya brāhmaṇarṣabhāḥ

Translation

そのとき、ああ婆羅門のうち最もすぐれた者よ、彼らは私の語った言葉を聞いて笑い、答えた――それを厳粛に受け取るのではなく、戯れのように面白がって退けたのである。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from/then')

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Pronoun; gender: —; case: Instrumental; number: Singular

• उक्तम्: said/uttered
• उक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); gender: Neuter; case: Nominative; number: Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: gender: Neuter; case: Nominative; number: Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: gender: Neuter; case: Nominative; number: Singular

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रहस्
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्); indeclinable

• ब्राह्मणर्षभाः: O best of Brahmins (vocative sense in address)
• ब्राह्मणर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणर्षभ
• Form: gender: Masculine; case: Nominative; number: Plural

Speaker

श्षशुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇarṣabhāḥ (foremost Brahmins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how speech may be received not only by its content but by the listeners’ attitude; laughter here suggests dismissal, reminding that ethical communication involves both speaking responsibly and responding with due seriousness and respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker recounts that after he spoke a particular statement, the Brahmins present laughed and reacted to his words, indicating that his utterance was not taken in a grave or straightforward manner.