Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

सम्प्राप्तश्न भवानद्य कृतार्थ: प्रतियास्यति । विस्रब्धो मां द्विजश्रेष्ठ विषये योक्तुमहसि

Transliteration

samprāptaś ca bhavān adya kṛtārthaḥ pratiyāsyati | visrabdho māṃ dvijaśreṣṭha viṣaye yoktum arhasi ||

Translation

ਅੱਜ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਇੱਥੇ ਤੱਕ ਆ ਪਹੁੰਚੇ ਹੋ; ਆਪਣਾ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਸਿੱਧ ਕਰਕੇ ਹੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਵਾਪਸ ਜਾਵੋਗੇ। ਇਸ ਲਈ, ਹੇ ਦ੍ਵਿਜ-ਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ, ਨਿਃਸੰਕੋਚ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਇੱਛਿਤ ਕਾਰਜ ਦੀ ਸਾਧਨਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਗਾਓ।

Word by Word

• सम्प्राप्तः: having arrived
• सम्प्राप्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्प्राप्त (सम्+प्र+आप् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नु: indeed/now (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• कृतार्थः: successful; having achieved the purpose
• कृतार्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतार्थ (कृत+अर्थ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतियास्यति: will return/go back
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति+या (धातु: या)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular

• विस्रब्धः: confident; without hesitation
• विस्रब्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्रब्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजश्रेष्ठ (द्विज+श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विषये: in the matter/with regard to the task
• विषये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• योक्तुम्: to yoke; to engage; to employ
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु: युज्) तुमुन्

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 2nd, Singular

Speaker

नाग उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nāga (serpent being; speaker)
• Dvijaśreṣṭha (a brahmin addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes purposeful action supported by courage and trust: once a righteous seeker has come this far, he should not retreat until the aim is achieved, and he should accept appropriate help without fear or hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Nāga addresses a brahmin respectfully, assuring him that his journey will not be in vain and inviting him to confidently enlist the Nāga’s aid as an instrument for accomplishing the brahmin’s intended objective.