Mahabharata 1.74.116 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 74, Shloka 116

अध्याय ७४: अक्रोध–क्षमा–निवासनीति

Chapter 74: Non-anger, Forbearance, and the Ethics of Residence

Devanagari script

पुरोहितममात्यां श्व सम्प्रहृष्टो <ब्रवीदिदम्‌ । शृण्वन्त्वेतद्‌ भवन्तो<5स्य देवदूतस्य भाषितम्‌

Transliteration

purohitam amātyāṁś ca samprakṛṣṭo 'bravīd idam | śṛṇvantv etad bhavanto 'sya devadūtasya bhāṣitam ||

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದರು— ಆಗ ರಾಜನು ಬಹಳ ಹರ್ಷಗೊಂಡು ಪುರೋಹಿತನನ್ನೂ ಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳನ್ನೂ ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿ ಹೀಗೆಂದನು— “ನೀವು ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಈ ದೇವದೂತನ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆಯಿಂದ ಕೇಳಿರಿ.”

Word by Word

• पुरोहितम्: the priest
• पुरोहितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोहित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमात्यान्: the ministers
• अमात्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• सम्प्रहृष्टः: delighted, very pleased
• सम्प्रहृष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्प्रहृष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• शृण्वन्तु: let (them/you all) hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• एतत्: this (statement)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भवन्तः: you (honored sirs)
• भवन्तः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अस्य: of this, of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• देवदूतस्य: of the divine messenger
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदूत
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भाषितम्: speech, utterance, statement
• भाषितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाषित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• purohita (royal priest)
• amātya (ministers)
• devadūta (divine messenger)
• Duṣyanta
• Śakuntalā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Public authority—especially a king—should conform to dharma when credible testimony (here, divine proclamation) establishes the truth. The verse highlights responsible governance: the ruler consults and informs priests and ministers, grounding action in validated righteousness rather than private doubt.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the gods’ messenger speaks, the king becomes joyful and formally addresses his priest and ministers, asking them to listen attentively to the messenger’s words—setting the stage for accepting the divine confirmation of Śakuntalā’s virtue and resolving the dispute.