Shloka 22

यमसभावर्णनम् (Yamasabhā-varṇanam) — Nārada’s Description of Dharmarāja’s Assembly

Devanagari script

अरिष्टनेमि: सुद्युम्न: पृथुलाश्वोडष्टकस्तथा । शतं मत्स्या नृपतय: शतं नीपा: शतं गया:

Transliteration

ariṣṭanemiḥ sudyumnaḥ pṛthulāśvo ḍaṣṭakas tathā | śataṁ matsyā nṛpatayaḥ śataṁ nīpāḥ śataṁ gayāḥ ||

Translation

അരിഷ്ടനേമി, സുദ്യുമ്നൻ, പൃഥുലാശ്വൻ, ഌഷ്ടകൻ; കൂടാതെ മത്സ്യരുടെ നൂറു രാജാക്കന്മാർ, നീപരുടെ നൂറു, ഗയരുടെ നൂറും.

Word by Word

अरिष्टनेमिःArishtanemi (a king/person named Arishtanemi)

सुद्युम्नःSudyumna (a king/person named Sudyumna)

पृथुलाश्वःPrithulashva (a king/person named Prithulashva)

उडष्टकःUdashṭaka (a king/person named Udashṭaka)

तथाand also/likewise

शतम्a hundred

मत्स्याःMatsyas (the Matsya kings/people)

नृपतयःkings

शतम्a hundred

नीपाःNipas (a people/tribe or kings called Nipa)

शतम्a hundred

गयाःGayas (a people/tribe or kings called Gaya)

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Ariṣṭanemi

Sudyumna

Pṛthulāśva

Ḍ

Ḍaṣṭaka

Matsya (people/kingdom)

Nīpa (people/lineage)

Gaya (people/lineage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse functions as a reminder of the breadth of royal lineages and the transience of worldly power: many kings arise and are counted, but lasting worth lies in dharmic rule and right conduct rather than mere numbers or fame.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is listing notable kings and groups of rulers—named individuals followed by large counts of kings from particular peoples/lineages (Matsyas, Nīpas, Gayas)—as part of a broader catalog of royal houses in the Sabha Parva context.