Shloka 28

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

नाविद्यत तदा विप्रा: संचयस्तन्निबोधत । क्षीणौषधिसमावेशे द्रव्यहीनो5भवत्‌ तदा

Transliteration

na avidyat tadā viprāḥ sañcayas tan nibodhata | kṣīṇauṣadhi-samāveśe dravya-hīno 'bhavat tadā brāhmaṇo, suno | eka-samaye tatra mahān bhayaṅkaraḥ akālaḥ apatat | teṣu dineṣu dharmātmanaḥ brāhmaṇasya anna-sañcayo na āsīt, kṣetra-annaṃ ca śuṣyati sma | ataḥ sa sarvathā nirdhano 'bhavat |

Translation

ନକୁଳ କହିଲେ—ହେ ବିପ୍ରମାନେ, ଏହା ଜାଣ: ସେତେବେଳେ କାହା ପାଖରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସଞ୍ଚୟ ଥିଲା ନାହିଁ। ଔଷଧି ଓ ଫସଲ କ୍ଷୀଣ ହେବା ସହିତ, ସେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଦ୍ରବ୍ୟହୀନ ହୋଇଗଲେ।

Word by Word

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

• अविद्यत: was known / was found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• संचयः: store, stockpile
• संचयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संचय
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• निबोधत: understand, take note
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2, plural, Parasmaipada

• क्षीण: when (it was) exhausted
• क्षीण: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण
• Form: PPP (क्त) from √क्षि, neuter, locative, singular

• औषधि: of herbs/vegetation (crops)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषधि
• Form: feminine, genitive, singular

• समावेशे: in the condition/state (of being gathered/available)
• समावेशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समावेश
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• द्रव्यहीनः: devoid of wealth/resources
• द्रव्यहीनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रव्यहीन
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अभवत्: became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• ब्राह्मणः: the brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सुनो: hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2, singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• viprāḥ (brahmins)
• brāhmaṇaḥ (a brahmin)
• akālaḥ (famine)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds how external calamity (famine) can strip even a righteous person of material support, setting the ethical stage for dharmic choices under scarcity—where virtue is tested not in abundance but in deprivation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula describes a severe famine: crops and herbs have dried up, there is no stored grain among the brahmins, and a particular righteous brahmin becomes completely destitute—preparing the context for subsequent actions and moral decisions.