Shloka 182

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)

Devanagari script

राजर्षिवंशगोप्तारममरप्रतिमं नृपम्‌ । यियासुं काश्यपं चैव न्यवर्तयत पापकृत्‌,वे महाराज परीक्षित्‌ राजर्षियोंके वंशकी रक्षा करनेवाले और देवताओंके समान तेजस्वी थे, काश्यप नामक एक ब्राह्मण आपके पिताकी रक्षा करनेके लिये उनके पास आना चाहते थे, किंतु उस पापाचारीने उन्हें लौटा दिया

Transliteration

rājarṣivaṃśagoptāram amarapratimaṃ nṛpam | yiyāsuṃ kāśyapaṃ caiva nyavartayata pāpakṛt ||

Translation

Тот царь — хранитель рода царей-риши и сияющий, как боги, — должен был быть защищён брахманом по имени Кашьяпа, который спешил к нему. Но грешный злодей заставил Кашьяпу повернуть назад, преградив саму помощь, что могла сохранить царя и дхарму династии.

Word by Word

• राजर्षि-वंश-गोप्तारम्: protector of the lineage of royal sages
• राजर्षि-वंश-गोप्तारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप्तृ (from धातु √गुप्/√गोप् 'to protect')
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमर-प्रतिमम्: comparable to the immortals (gods)
• अमर-प्रतिमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिम (pratipadika)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नृपम्: king
• नृपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (pratipadika)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यियासुम्: wishing to go / intending to come
• यियासुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यियासु (desiderative from धातु √या 'to go')
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• काश्यपम्: Kāśyapa
• काश्यपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यप (pratipadika)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• न्यवर्तयत्: turned back / sent away
• Type: Verb
• Root: धातु √वृत् (causative √वर्तय्) with उपसर्ग नि-
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पापकृत्: the evil-doer / sinner
• पापकृत्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापकृत् (pratipadika; कृत् from √कृ 'to do')
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

उत्तड़क उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Uttaṅka
• Kāśyapa (brāhmaṇa)
• King (Parīkṣit’s father, i.e., Abhimanyu)
• Parīkṣit

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical gravity of obstructing righteous help: when a protector of dharma (a brāhmaṇa coming to safeguard the king) is turned away by a sinful agent, the harm extends beyond an individual to the stability of lineage and the moral order upheld by kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttaṅka describes a king, godlike and a guardian of the royal-sage dynasty, whom the brāhmaṇa Kāśyapa intended to reach in order to protect. A ‘pāpakṛt’ (evil-doer) prevents Kāśyapa from proceeding, sending him back and thereby blocking the king’s protection.