Shloka 17
Devanagari script
दत्तैषा भवता महां तां ते प्रतिददाम्पहम्
Transliteration
dattaivā bhavatā mahāṁ tāṁ te pratidadāmy aham
Translation
വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഈ മഹാദാനം നിങ്ങൾ തന്നിരിക്കുന്നു; അതിനെ ഞാൻ വീണ്ടും നിങ്ങള്ക്കുതന്നെ പ്രതിദാനമായി തിരികെ നൽകുന്നു.
Word by Word
दत्ताgiven (has been given)
दत्ता:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
एषाthis (she/this thing)
एषा:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
भवताby you (sir)
भवता:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootभवत्
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
महाम्great
महाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
ताम्that (her/that thing)
ताम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Formचतुर्थी, एकवचन
प्रतिददामिI give back / I return
प्रतिददामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) with प्रति- (प्रत्यय/उपसर्ग) → प्रतिदा
Formलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, एकवचन
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Formप्रथमा, एकवचन
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśaṃpāyanaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical reciprocity and restraint: even when a great gift is offered, one may choose to return it, signaling detachment, propriety, or a higher sense of dharma rather than mere acceptance.
In Vaiśaṃpāyana’s narration, a speaker acknowledges having received a significant offering from another and immediately returns it, indicating a formal exchange shaped by honor, duty, and the moral tone of the Ashvamedha-related events.