Shloka 17

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 137 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa Counsel and the Ethics of Restraint

Devanagari script

आश्रिनेयौ नरव्याप्रौ रूपेणाप्रतिमौ भुवि । तौच त्वां गुरुवत्‌ प्रेमणा पूजया प्रत्युदीयताम्‌

Transliteration

āśrineyau naravyāghrau rūpeṇāpratimau bhuvi | tau ca tvāṃ guruvat premanā pūjayā pratyudīyatām ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Biarlah Nakula dan Sahadeva—dua lelaki laksana harimau, putera kembar Aśvinī, yang ketampanannya tiada bandingan di bumi—datang menghadapmu, mendekat untuk berkhidmat dengan kasih sayang, hormat dan pemuliaan sebagaimana kepada seorang guru.”

Word by Word

• आश्रिनेयौ: sons of the Aśvins (Aśvinīkumāras)
• आश्रिनेयौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्रिनेय (अश्विनि-अपत्य)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• नरव्याप्रौ: active/energetic among men
• नरव्याप्रौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नरव्याप्र (नर + व्याप्र)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• रूपेण: by form; in appearance
• रूपेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अप्रतिमौ: incomparable
• अप्रतिमौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रतिम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• गुरुवत्: like a guru; as (one would) a teacher/elder
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुरु + वत्

• प्रेमणा: with affection
• प्रेमणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेमन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पूजया: with reverence/worship; with honor
• पूजया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रत्युदीयताम्: let them go forth to meet (you); let them come forward to receive (you)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उद्-इ (धातु: इ)
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Aśvinīkumāras (the Aśvins)
• Nakula
• Sahadeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes dharmic etiquette: even powerful princes should approach worthy persons with the reverence, affection, and honor accorded to a guru—showing that humility and respectful service are marks of true nobility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Nakula and Sahadeva—celebrated as the Aśvins’ sons and famed for their beauty—being directed/depicted as coming forward to meet ‘you’ with guru-like reverence, offering respectful attendance and service in a formal setting.