Shloka 40

Devanagari script

मेघगम्भीरनादेन तर्जयन्तं महास्वनम्‌ | वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! तत्पश्चात्‌ उस समय इस प्रकार बोलनेवाले उस यक्षकी वह अमंगलमयी और कठोर वाणी सुनकर भरतश्रेष्ठ राजा युधिष्ठिर उसके पास जाकर खड़े हो गये। उन्होंने देखा

Transliteration

meghagambhīranādena tarjayantaṃ mahāsvanam | yakṣa uvāca: ime te bhrātaro rājan vāryamāṇā mayā sakṛt |

Translation

ମେଘଗମ୍ଭୀର ନାଦରେ ଗର୍ଜି ଧମକାଉଥିବା ସେ ଯକ୍ଷ ମହାସ୍ୱରେ କହିଲା। ଭରତଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର ତାହାର ନିକଟକୁ ଯାଇ ଦେଖିଲେ—ବିକଟ ନେତ୍ରବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଏକ ବିଶାଳକାୟ ଯକ୍ଷ ଗଛର ଶିଖରେ ବସିଛି; ତାଳବୃକ୍ଷ ସମ ଉଚ୍ଚ, ଅଗ୍ନି ଓ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସମ ଦୀପ୍ତ, ପର୍ବତ ସମ ଉନ୍ନତ। ସେ ମେଘଗମ୍ଭୀର ବାଣୀରେ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ତିରସ୍କାର କରୁଥିଲା। ଯକ୍ଷ କହିଲା—“ରାଜନ! ତୁମ ଏହି ଭାଇମାନଙ୍କୁ ମୁଁ ପୁନଃପୁନଃ ରୋକିଥିଲି; ତଥାପି ସେମାନେ ବଳପୂର୍ବକ ଜଳ ନେବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କଲେ; ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ନିହତ କଲି। ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର! ପ୍ରାଣ ରକ୍ଷା କରିବାକୁ ଚାହୁଁଥିଲେ ଏହି ଜଳ ପିଅନି। ପାର୍ଥ! ସାହସ କରନି—ଏହି ଜଳ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ମୋର ଅଧିକାର। କୁନ୍ତୀପୁତ୍ର! ପ୍ରଥମେ ମୋ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନମାନଙ୍କର ଉତ୍ତର ଦିଅ; ତାପରେ ଜଳ ପିଅ ଓ ନେଇଯାଅ।”

Word by Word

• मेघ: cloud
• मेघ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (as compound member), Singular

• गम्भीर: deep, grave
• गम्भीर: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम्भीर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (as compound member), Singular

• नादेन: with a sound/roar
• नादेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तर्जयन्तम्: rebuking, threatening
• तर्जयन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: तर्ज्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महास्वनम्: loud-voiced, great-sounding
• महास्वनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महास्वन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Second, Genitive, Singular

• भ्रातरः: brothers
• भ्रातरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वार्यमाणाः: being restrained/forbidden
• वार्यमाणाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय्
• Form: शानच् (present middle/passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: First, Instrumental, Singular

• असकृत्: again and again, repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत्

Speaker

यक्ष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yaksha
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pārtha (Arjuna, as an epithet)
• Kuntīnandana (son of Kuntī; here addressing Yudhiṣṭhira)
• the brothers (Pāṇḍavas collectively)
• the water (lake/pond under Yaksha’s control)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Need does not justify transgression: one must practice restraint, respect rightful authority, and seek truth through right inquiry (answering questions) before acting—dharma precedes desire and survival-instinct.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the other brothers fall for drinking the forbidden water, Yudhiṣṭhira arrives and confronts the Yaksha, who claims the water, explains why the brothers were struck down, and sets a condition: answer his questions first, then drink and take water.