Shloka 21
अश्रमवासिनां विषादः — Lament in Hastināpura after the Elders’ Forest Withdrawal
Devanagari script
तदुच्यतां महाप्राज्ञ कं काम॑ प्रददामि ते
Transliteration
tad ucyatāṃ mahāprājña kaṃ kāmaṃ pradadāmi te
Translation
“ಆಗ ಹೇಳು, ಮಹಾಪ್ರಾಜ್ಞನೇ! ನಿನ್ನ ಯಾವ ಕಾಮನೆಯನ್ನು ನಾನು ನೆರವೇರಿಸಲಿ?”
Word by Word
तत्that (thing)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उच्यताम्let it be said / please say
उच्यताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormImperative, Passive, Third, Singular
महाप्राज्ञO very wise one
महाप्राज्ञ:
TypeAdjective (vocative epithet)
Rootमहाप्राज्ञ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
कम्whom?
कम्:
Karma
TypePronoun (interrogative)
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कामम्desire / wish
कामम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकाम
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
प्रददामिI give / I grant
प्रददामि:
TypeVerb
Rootदा
FormPresent, Parasmaipada, First, Singular
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormDative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical giving: a boon or gift should be granted with discernment, but only after the recipient clearly articulates a worthy and well-considered request—highlighting responsibility on both giver and seeker.
Vaiśampāyana narrates a moment of dialogue in which a speaker addresses a ‘greatly wise’ person and invites them to state their wish, indicating an impending grant of a boon or fulfillment of a request within the Ashramavāsika Parva’s reflective, post-war setting.