Shloka 16

पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्

The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

अब्रवीच्च भृशं तुष्ट: स राजा तमृषिं तदा । अर्बुदेन गवां ब्रह्मन्‌ मम राज्येन वा पुन:

Transliteration

abravīc ca bhṛśaṃ tuṣṭaḥ sa rājā tam ṛṣiṃ tadā | arbudena gavāṃ brahman mama rājyena vā punaḥ ||

Translation

ਤਦ ਬਹੁਤ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਉਸ ਰਾਜੇ ਨੇ ਉਸ ਰਿਸ਼ੀ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਹਾ— “ਹੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ! ਕੀ ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਇੱਕ ਅਰਬੁਦ (ਕਰੋੜ) ਗਾਂਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਕੇ, ਜਾਂ ਫਿਰ ਆਪਣਾ ਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਦਾਨ ਕਰਾਂ?”

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: लुङ् (aorist), 3, singular, parasmaipada

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

• भृशम्: greatly, exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृश

• तुष्टः: pleased, satisfied
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• ऋषिम्: sage
• ऋषिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तदा: then, at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• अर्बुदेन: with a crore/ten-million (as a measure/amount)
• अर्बुदेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• गवाम्: of cows
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: feminine, genitive, plural

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin (sir)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• मम: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: genitive, singular

• राज्येन: with (my) kingdom
• राज्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

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

• पुनः: again; alternatively
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• गन्धर्व (Gandharva, speaker)
• राजा (the king)
• ऋषि (the sage)
• गावः (cows)
• राज्य (kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dāna-dharma: a ruler should express gratitude and reverence through generous giving, yet must also consider propriety—whether material wealth (cows) or political power (kingdom) is an appropriate offering to a sage.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Gandharva narrates that a king, delighted with a sage, offers an extraordinary reward—either an immense number of cows or even his kingdom—showing the king’s eagerness to honor and repay the sage.