Shloka 4

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 113 — Maryādā-sthāpana (Śvetaketu’s Boundary) and the Niyoga Deliberation of Pāṇḍu and Kuntī

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा तस्यासन शुभ्र॑ पाद्यमर्घ्य तथैव च | मधुपर्क च महेश: पप्रच्छागमने<र्थिताम्‌,वहाँ उनके लिये सुन्दर आसन, पाद्य, अर्घ्य तथा मधुपर्क अर्पण करके मद्रराजने भीष्मजीसे उनके आगमनका प्रयोजन पूछा

Transliteration

dattvā tasyāsanaṁ śubhraṁ pādyam arghyaṁ tathaiva ca | madhuparkaṁ ca mahārājaḥ papracchāgamane 'rthitām ||

Translation

ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਆਸਨ, ਪਾਦ੍ਯ, ਅਰਘ੍ਯ ਅਤੇ ਮਧੁਪਰਕ ਅਰਪਣ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਮਦ੍ਰਰਾਜ ਨੇ ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਜੀ ਤੋਂ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਆਉਣ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਨ ਪੁੱਛਿਆ।

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given / after offering
• दत्त्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (√दा)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• तस्य: of him / to him (for him)
• तस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• आसनम्: seat
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• शुभ्रम्: beautiful/bright (seat)
• शुभ्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• पाद्यम्: water for washing the feet
• पाद्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अर्घ्यम्: honor-offering (arghya)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• तथा: thus/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

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

• मधुपर्कम्: madhuparka (honey-mixture welcome offering)
• मधुपर्कम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुपर्क
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

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

• महेशः: Mahesha (a proper name/title: ‘great lord’)
• महेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (√प्रच्छ्)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), past (narrative perfect), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• आगमने: in/with regard to the coming (arrival)
• आगमने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमन
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• अर्थिताम्: the purpose/request (intended object)
• अर्थिताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिता
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahārāja (the king, identified in context as the Madra king)
• Bhīṣma
• āsana
• pādya
• arghya
• madhuparka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharmic hospitality: an honoured guest is first received with proper offerings (seat, pādya, arghya, madhuparka), and only then is the purpose of the visit respectfully asked. Ethical communication is framed by reverence and correct conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

A king receives Bhīṣma formally, offering the traditional guest-rites, and then inquires about the reason for Bhīṣma’s arrival—signalling that the visit concerns an important matter, approached through proper royal protocol.