Shloka 4

Ulūpī–Citravāhinī Saṃvāda: Dhanaṃjaya-patana and Prāya-threat

Devanagari script

संरक्ष्यमाणं तुरगं यौधिष्ठिरमुपागतम्‌ । यज्ञियं विषयान्ते मां नायौत्सी: कि नु पुत्रक

Transliteration

saṃrakṣyamāṇaṃ turagaṃ yaudhiṣṭhiram upāgatam | yajñiyaṃ viṣayānte māṃ nāyautsīḥ ki nu putraka ||

Translation

ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ລູກເອີຍ! ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກຳລັງປົກປ້ອງມ້າບູຊາຍັດຂອງພຣະຍຸທິສຖິຣ ແລະໄດ້ເຂົ້າມາເຖິງແດນຊາຍຂອງອານາຈັກເຈົ້າຕາມພິທີ. ແຕ່ເປັນຫຍັງ ລູກເອີຍ, ເຈົ້າຈຶ່ງບໍ່ທ້າຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໃຫ້ຮົບ?»

Word by Word

• संरक्ष्यमाणम्: being protected/guarded
• संरक्ष्यमाणम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: संरक्ष् (धातु) / संरक्ष्यमाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मणि (passive), शानच् (वर्तमान कृदन्त), नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तुरगम्: horse
• तुरगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यौधिष्ठिरम्: belonging to Yudhishthira
• यौधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौधिष्ठिर (युधिष्ठिर-सम्बन्धिन्)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उपागतम्: having come/entered
• उपागतम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-गम् (धातु) / उपागत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (भूतकृदन्त), नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यज्ञियम्: sacrificial; connected with the sacrifice
• यज्ञियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञिय
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विषयान्ते: within (the) territory/border of the realm
• विषयान्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषयान्त (विषय + अन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: उत्तम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अयौत्सीः: did you fight
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, मध्यम, एकवचन

• किम्: what/why
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नु: indeed/then (interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु

• पुत्रक: O son (dear boy)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Aśvamedha horse (yajñiya turaga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-ethics within royal ritual: when a consecrated Aśvamedha horse enters a kingdom, the local ruler is expected to respond—either by accepting the overlord’s sovereignty or by challenging it through combat. The question underscores the tension between ritual authority and political autonomy, framed as a duty-bound test rather than personal hostility.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (addressing a ‘son’/young prince) states that he is escorting and protecting Yudhiṣṭhira’s sacrificial horse and has entered the other’s territorial boundary. He then asks why the prince is not engaging him in battle—implying the customary Aśvamedha confrontation that determines submission or resistance.