Shloka 96

Śānti-parva Adhyāya 30: Nārada–Parvata Samaya-bhaṅga, Śāpa, and the Marriage of Sukumārī

Devanagari script

सूंजयं श्वैत्यमभ्येत्य राजानमिदमूचतु: । वे दोनों लोकपूजित महर्षि “तथास्तु” कहकर पूर्वोक्त प्रतिज्ञा करनेके पश्चात्‌ श्वैतपुत्र राजा सूंजयके पास जाकर इस प्रकार बोले--

Transliteration

sūñjayaṃ śvaityam abhyetya rājānam idam ūcatuḥ | te dvau lokapūjitau maharṣī “tathāstu” kahkar pūrvokta-pratijñāṃ kṛtvā śvaitaputra-rājā sūñjayasya samīpaṃ gatvā evaṃ prāha ||

Translation

ಲೋಕಪೂಜಿತರಾದ ಆ ಇಬ್ಬರು ಮಹರ್ಷಿಗಳು “ತಥಾಸ್ತು” ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿ, ಪೂರ್ವೋಕ್ತ ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆಯನ್ನು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಿದ ಬಳಿಕ, ಶ್ವೈತಿ ಪುತ್ರನಾದ ರಾಜ ಸೂಂಜಯನ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಈ ರೀತಿಯಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಿದರು.

Word by Word

सूंजयम्Sūñjaya (as object: to/unto Sūñjaya)

श्वैत्यंŚvaitya (proper name; as object/goal)

अभ्येत्यhaving approached

राजानम्the king

इदम्this

ऊचतुःthey two said

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sūñjaya (King, son of Śvaiti)

Śvaiti (as patronymic reference)

Two Maharṣis (unnamed sages)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic seriousness of assent and vow-taking: when revered sages say “tathāstu” and undertake a pratijñā, their word becomes a moral commitment that guides subsequent action and lends legitimacy to what follows.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two world-honoured sages, after agreeing (“tathāstu”) and making the earlier-mentioned pledge, approach King Sūñjaya (son of Śvaiti) and begin to address him, setting up the next portion of their counsel or message.