Shloka 142

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

एतदिच्छामि देवेश श्रोतु ब्राह्मणकाम्यया । त्वत्त: कमलपत्राक्ष विस्तरेण यथातथम्‌

Transliteration

etad icchāmi deveśa śrotuṁ brāhmaṇakāmyayā | tvattaḥ kamalapatrākṣa vistareṇa yathātatham ||

Translation

ໄວສຳປາຍະນະກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ຈອມເທວະ, ຜູ້ມີນັຍນາດັ່ງກີບດອກບົວ, ໂດຍຖືກກະຕຸ້ນດ້ວຍຄວາມຢາກຮູ້ຕາມທຳມະຊາດຂອງພຣາຫມະນ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າປາຖະໜາຈະຟັງເລື່ອງນີ້ທັງໝົດຈາກພຣະອົງໂດຍກົງ ແລະໂດຍລະອຽດ ຕາມຄວາມເປັນຈິງ.»

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (thing)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छामि: I desire / wish
• इच्छामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• देवेश: O lord of gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• ब्राह्मण: by/with (a) brahmin(’s)
• ब्राह्मण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• काम्यया: with desire / with a wish (i.e., out of inquisitiveness)
• काम्यया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• त्वत्तः: from you
• त्वत्तः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Ablative, Singular

• कमलपत्राक्ष: O lotus-petal-eyed one
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमलपत्राक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विस्तरेण: in detail / at length
• विस्तरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यथा: as / according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• तथा: so / in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Deveśa (Lord of the gods)
• Kamalapatrākṣa (lotus-eyed deity, typically Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Brāhmaṇa (as a class/ideal of inquiry)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds a dhārmic ideal of learning: a brāhmaṇa’s duty is sincere inquiry and the pursuit of truth. It also emphasizes epistemic integrity—hearing an account “yathātatham,” exactly as it is, from a trustworthy authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker (Vaiśaṃpāyana) addresses a divine figure with reverent epithets and requests a full, accurate explanation of the matter under discussion, signaling a transition into a more detailed narration.