Shloka 123

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच श्यामो य एष रक्ताक्षो बृहच्छाल इवोत्थित: । व्यूढोरस्को महाबाहुर्नकुलो यक्ष जीवतु

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: śyāmo ya eṣa raktākṣo bṛhacchāla ivotthitaḥ | vyūḍhorasko mahābāhur nakulo yakṣa jīvatu ||

Translation

ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ହେ ଯକ୍ଷ! ଏହି ଶ୍ୟାମବର୍ଣ୍ଣ, ରକ୍ତାକ୍ଷ, ବିଶାଳ ଶାଳବୃକ୍ଷ ପରି ଉଚ୍ଚ, ବିସ୍ତୃତ ବକ୍ଷସ୍ଥଳ ଓ ମହାବାହୁ ନକୁଳ—ସେଇ ଜୀବିତ ହେଉ।

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

• यक्ष: O Yakṣa
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्यामः: dark-complexioned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एषः: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रक्ताक्षः: red-eyed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ताक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बृहच्छालः: like a great śāla-tree (great-śāla)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहच्छाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उत्थितः: risen, standing up
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था
• Form: Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्यूढोरस्कः: broad-chested
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यूढोरस्क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जीवतु: let (him) live
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव्
• Form: Imperative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Yakṣa
• Nakula
• śāla tree

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even under extreme pressure, Yudhiṣṭhira’s choice is guided by dharma: he weighs fairness and duty rather than mere personal preference, showing ethical discernment and responsibility toward family obligations.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Yakṣa episode at the lake, Yudhiṣṭhira is granted a choice to revive one of his fallen brothers. Here he identifies Nakula by his features and asks the Yakṣa to restore Nakula to life.