Shloka 21

Devanagari script

एतद्‌ भवन्तं पृच्छामि तद्‌ भवान्‌ वक्तुम्हति । यथा वेदार्थततच्त्वेन ब्रूहि मे त्वं जनाधिप,नरेश्वर! मैं यही बात आपसे पूछता हूँ। आप मुझे यह बतानेकी कृपा करें। वेदके वास्तविक सिद्धान्तके अनुसार क्या करना उचित है? यह आप मुझे बताइये

Transliteration

etad bhavantaṁ pṛcchāmi tad bhavān vaktum arhati | yathā vedārtha-tattvena brūhi me tvaṁ janādhipa, nareśvara ||

Translation

«ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຂໍຖາມທ່ານເລື່ອງນີ້; ທ່ານເໝາະສົມທີ່ຈະຕອບ. ໂອ ຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າແຫ່ງປະຊາ, ໂອ ກະສັດແຫ່ງມະນຸດ, ຈົ່ງບອກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ—ຕາມອັດຖະແທ້ ແລະຫຼັກການຂອງພຣະເວດ—ວ່າສິ່ງໃດຈຶ່ງຄວນເຮັດຢ່າງຖືກຕ້ອງ»។

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'etad', 'gloss': 'this (matter), this question'}, {'term': 'bhavantam / bhavān', 'gloss': 'you (honorific), revered sir'}, {'term': 'pṛcchāmi', 'gloss': 'I ask, I inquire'}, {'term': 'vaktum arhati', 'gloss': 'is worthy/fit to speak

• ought to explain'}, {'term': 'yathā', 'gloss': 'as, in the manner that

• according to'}, {'term': 'veda', 'gloss': 'the Veda

• sacred revelation/authoritative scripture'}, {'term': 'artha', 'gloss': 'meaning, purport'}, {'term': 'tattvena', 'gloss': 'in truth

• according to the real principle/essence'}, {'term': 'brūhi', 'gloss': 'tell (me), speak'}, {'term': 'me', 'gloss': 'to me'}, {'term': 'janādhipa', 'gloss': 'lord of people

• ruler, king'}, {'term': 'nareśvara', 'gloss': 'lord of men

Speaker

शुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śuka
• janādhipa (a king/ruler addressed)
• nareśvara (a king/ruler addressed)
• Veda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dharma as something to be determined by the Veda’s true purport (vedārtha-tattva), not merely by surface readings or personal preference; it emphasizes humble inquiry and authoritative instruction in deciding what is proper to do.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śuka, as the speaker, respectfully questions a ruler addressed as janādhipa/nareśvara, requesting a clear explanation of the correct course of action grounded in the authentic meaning of the Veda.