Shloka 6

Arjuna’s Northern Conquests: Kimpuruṣa-lands, Hāṭaka, Mānasasaras, and the Harivarṣa Boundary

Devanagari script

स्वस्तिवाच्याहतो विप्रान्‌ प्रयाहि भरतर्षभ । दुर्हदामप्रहर्षाय सुह्ृदां नन्दनाय च

Transliteration

svastivācyāhato viprān prayāhi bharatarṣabha | durhṛdām apraharṣāya suhṛdāṁ nandanāya ca ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O bull among the Bharatas, have the venerable brāhmaṇas pronounce auspicious blessings and then set forth. May this journey bring no joy to your ill-wishers, and may it increase the delight of your well-wishers.”

Word by Word

• स्वस्ति: well-being; auspiciousness
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वस्ति
• Form: Avyaya

• वाच्य: to be made to utter/recite (to be asked to say)
• वाच्य: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural (agreeing with विप्रान्)

• आहतः: having addressed/approached (lit. having struck upon; idiomatically: having greeted/solicited)
• आहतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular (agreeing with implied त्वम्)

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रयाहि: go forth; set out
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या
• Form: Imperative, 2nd person, Singular (Parasmaipada)

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• भरतर्षभ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दुर्हृदाम्: of ill-wishers/enemies
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्हृद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अप्रहर्षाय: for (their) non-joy; for lack of delight (i.e., for grief)
• अप्रहर्षाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-प्रहर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सुहृदाम्: of friends/well-wishers
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• नन्दनाय: for delight; for giving joy
• नन्दनाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)
• Bharata lineage (address: bharatarṣabha)
• ill-wishers/enemies (durhṛdaḥ)
• well-wishers/friends (suhṛdaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before undertaking an important journey, one should seek auspicious blessings from learned and venerable brāhmaṇas; such adherence to proper rite and counsel supports dharma and strengthens the morale of allies while denying satisfaction to adversaries.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana addresses a Bharata prince/leader, instructing him to depart only after receiving formal benedictions (svastivācana) from brāhmaṇas, framing the journey as one that should hearten friends and frustrate enemies.