Shloka 17

Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ

King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt

Devanagari script

यष्टिं च वैणवीं तस्मै ददौ वृत्रनिषूदन: । इष्टप्रदानमुद्दिश्य शिष्टानां प्रतिपालिनीम्‌

Transliteration

yaṣṭiṁ ca vaiṇavīṁ tasmai dadau vṛtranisūdanaḥ | iṣṭapradānam uddiśya śiṣṭānāṁ pratipālinīm ||

Translation

ໄວສຳປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ອິນທຣະ ຜູ້ປະຫານວຶດຕຣະ ໄດ້ມອບໄມ້ທ່ອນໄຜ່ໃຫ້ເຂົາ ເປັນຂອງຂວັນແຫ່ງຄວາມເມດຕາ ໂດຍມຸ່ງໃຫ້ເປັນພອນ—ເປັນເຄື່ອງໝາຍເພື່ອຄ້ຳຈຸນ ແລະປົກປ້ອງຜູ້ດີ ຜູ້ມີວິໄນ.

Word by Word

• यष्टिम्: staff, rod
• यष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• वैणवीम्: made of bamboo (reed)
• वैणवीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैणवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वृत्रनिषूदनः: the slayer of Vṛtra (Indra)
• वृत्रनिषूदनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र-निषूदन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इष्टप्रदानम्: granting of desired boons
• इष्टप्रदानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट-प्रदान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उद्दिश्य: intending, with a view to
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश्
• Form: Absolutive (Tumun/Lyap), Gerund (ktvā/lyap sense)

• शिष्टानाम्: of the virtuous/learned (good people)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• प्रतिपालिनीम्: protectress, one that protects
• प्रतिपालिनीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपालिनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Indra (Vṛtranisūdana)
• Vṛtra
• bamboo staff (vaiṇavī yaṣṭi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate authority is portrayed as protective rather than merely coercive: the staff symbolizes governance that safeguards śiṣṭas (the righteous and disciplined) and supports dharma through measured power and benevolent intent.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, Indra (famed for killing Vṛtra) presents a bamboo staff to the recipient as an affectionate gift/boon, described as an instrument or emblem meant for the protection of virtuous people.