Shloka 18

अर्जुनदुःखहेतुप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the cause of Arjuna’s recurring hardship

Book 14, Chapter 89

Devanagari script

ततोअब्रवीद्‌ वासुदेवो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम्‌

Transliteration

tato 'bravīd vāsudevo dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram

Translation

ಆಮೇಲೆ ವಾಸುದೇವನು ಧರ್ಮರಾಜ ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನನ್ನು ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿ ಮಾತಾಡಿದನು—ಧರ್ಮಯುಕ್ತ ಆಡಳಿತ ಮತ್ತು ಕರ್ತವ್ಯದ ಹೊಣೆಗಾರಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟಪಡಿಸಲು ಉಪದೇಶವನ್ನು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थान/कालवाचक)

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• वासुदेवः: Vasudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्मराजम्: to Dharmaraja (the righteous king)
• धर्मराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• युधिष्ठिरम्: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical instruction scene: Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) is about to counsel Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja), emphasizing that righteous kingship requires guidance grounded in dharma and reflective judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

After preceding events, the narrator indicates a transition: Vāsudeva begins speaking directly to Yudhiṣṭhira, preparing the audience for advice or clarification on duty, rule, or moral resolution within the Ashvamedhika Parva context.