Shloka 4

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Post-Accession Settlements and Approach to Vāsudeva (युधिष्ठिरस्य राज्यस्थापनं वासुदेवाभिगमनं च)

Devanagari script

प्राप्पय राज्यं महाराज कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: । चातुर्वर्ण्य यथायोग्यं स्वे स्वे स्थाने न्यवेशयत्‌

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca | prāpya rājyaṃ mahārāja kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | cāturvarṇyaṃ yathāyogyaṃ sve sve sthāne nyaveśayat ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «О великий царь, обретя верховную власть, Юдхиштхира, сын Кунти, прежде всего устроил четыре варны согласно их надлежащим качествам, утвердив каждую на её законном месте долга.»

Word by Word

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थक अव्ययकृदन्त), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

• राज्यम्: the kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुन्तीपुत्रः: Kunti's son
• कुन्तीपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्तीपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चातुर्वर्ण्यम्: the fourfold social order (the four varnas)
• चातुर्वर्ण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यथायोग्यम्: according to fitness / as appropriate
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: true

• स्वे: in one's own
• स्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्वे: in one's own
• स्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्थाने: place / station / duty-position
• स्थाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• न्यवेशयत्: he established / he placed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अव + शी (धातु) / अव-शि (causative base आवेशय-)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), कर्तरि, Third, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuntī
• cāturvarṇya (the four varṇas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s first ethical task is dharma-based governance: assigning responsibilities according to competence and rightful duty, so that social functions operate in harmony rather than through favoritism or disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

After securing the kingdom, Yudhiṣṭhira begins consolidating rule by organizing society—placing the four varṇas into their respective roles and duties according to suitability—signaling a return to stable, dharmic administration.