Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

उपयाजवच: श्र॒ुत्वा याजस्याश्रममभ्यगात्‌ । अभिसम्पूज्य पूजाहमथ याजमुवाच ह

Transliteration

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

Translation

Setelah mendengar kata-kata Upayāja, raja pun pergi ke pertapaan Yāja. Sesudah memuliakan dan menyembah resi yang patut dihormati itu menurut adat, baginda lalu berkata kepada Yāja. Petikan ini menegaskan ketegangan etika yang nyata: walaupun seseorang secara batin tidak menyetujui perilaku orang lain, dia masih boleh mendekatinya dengan hormat demi tujuan yang sah, sambil memelihara adab dan dharma dalam tutur kata serta perbuatan.

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.