Shloka 28

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच कन्यायां प्राप्तशुल्कायां ज्यायांश्वैदाव्रजेद्‌ वर: । धर्मकामार्थसम्पन्नो वाच्यमत्रानृतं न वा

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kanyāyāṃ prāptaśulkāyāṃ jyāyān vai dāvrājed varaḥ | dharmakāmārthasampanno vācyam atrānṛtaṃ na vā ||

Translation

ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ପିତାମହ! ଯଦି ଗୋଟିଏ ବର ସହ କନ୍ୟାର ବିବାହ ନିଶ୍ଚିତ କରି ଶୁଳ୍କ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରାଯାଇଥାଏ, ଏବଂ ପରେ ତାହାଠାରୁ ଅଧିକ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ—ଧର୍ମ, ଅର୍ଥ ଓ କାମରେ ସମ୍ପନ୍ନ—ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ବର ଆସିପଡ଼େ, ତେବେ ଏଥିରେ ଅସତ୍ୟ କହିବା ଉଚିତ କି ନୁହେଁ? ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ପୂର୍ବତନ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥୀକୁ ଅସ୍ୱୀକାର କରି କନ୍ୟା ନ ଦେବା କି ସମ୍ମତ?

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कन्यायाम्: in/with regard to a maiden
• कन्यायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• प्राप्त-शुल्कायाम्: for whom the bride-price has been received
• प्राप्त-शुल्कायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्तशुल्का
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• ज्यायान्: a superior (man)
• ज्यायान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्यायस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-दा
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• व्रजेत्: should go/should proceed
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज्
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वरः: the suitor/bridegroom
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्म-काम-अर्थ-सम्पन्नः: endowed with dharma, kāma, and artha
• धर्म-काम-अर्थ-सम्पन्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मकामार्थसम्पन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाच्यम्: to be said / should be spoken
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाच्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अनृतम्: untruth/falsehood
• अनृतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• kanyā (the maiden)
• vara (the suitor/bridegroom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-conflict: whether truthfulness and honoring an accepted marital agreement outweigh the practical advantage of choosing a later, superior match. It asks if falsehood or denial can ever be justified when prior commitment (sealed by accepting śulka) exists.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira, in dialogue with Bhīṣma (the grandsire), poses a legal-ethical question about marriage customs: after accepting a bride-price and thereby confirming a match, can the family retract the promise if a better-qualified suitor appears, and would such retraction require or constitute untruth?