Shloka 21

Vasiṣṭhasya śokaḥ, Vipāśā–Śatadrū-nāmākaraṇam, Kalmāṣapādasya bhaya-prasaṅgaḥ (Ādi Parva 167)

Devanagari script

उपयाजवच: श्र॒ुत्वा याजस्याश्रममभ्यगात्‌ । अभिसम्पूज्य पूजाहमथ याजमुवाच ह,“राजन! तुम उन्हींके पास जाओ। वे तुम्हारा यज्ञ करा देंगे।” राजा ट्रपद उपयाजकी बात सुनकर याजके इस चरित्रकी मन-ही-मन निन्दा करने लगे, तो भी अपने कार्यका विचार करके याजके आश्रमपर गये और पूजनीय याज मुनिका पूजन करके तब उनसे इस प्रकार बोले---

Transliteration

upayājavacaḥ śrutvā yājasya āśramam abhyagāt | abhisampūjya pūjārham atha yājam uvāca ha |

Translation

उपयाजाचे वचन ऐकून राजा याजाच्या आश्रमास गेला. तेथे पूज्य याज मुनींचे यथोचित पूजन करून मग त्यांना म्हणाला.

Word by Word

• {'upayāja-vacaḥ': 'the words/speech of Upayāja', 'śrutvā': 'having heard', 'yājasya': 'of Yāja', 'āśramam': 'hermitage

• ascetic dwelling', 'abhyagāt': 'went to

• approached', 'abhisampūjya': 'having respectfully worshipped/honored', 'pūjārham': 'worthy of worship

• venerable', 'atha': 'then

• thereafter', 'uvāca ha': 'said (indeed)

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Upayāja
• Yāja
• the King (Drupada, in the surrounding narrative)
• Yāja’s āśrama (hermitage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid inner criticism or doubt, one should uphold dharmic conduct—approaching elders and ritual authorities with proper respect, and letting one’s speech and actions remain disciplined and courteous.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Upayāja advises the king to go to Yāja for the performance of a sacrifice, the king proceeds to Yāja’s hermitage, honors the sage with due worship, and then begins to speak to him about his purpose.