Shloka 18
अर्जुनदुःखहेतुप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the cause of Arjuna’s recurring hardship
Book 14, Chapter 89
Devanagari script
ततोअब्रवीद् वासुदेवो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम्
Transliteration
tato 'bravīd vāsudevo dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram
Translation
ततो वासुदेवो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरं प्रत्यब्रवीत्—धर्मस्य राज्यस्य च तत्त्वं विवेचयितुं उपदेशं प्रवर्तयन्।
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (स्थान/कालवाचक)
अब्रवीत्said, spoke
अब्रवीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (धातु)
Formलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्
वासुदेवःVasudeva (Krishna)
वासुदेवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
धर्मराजम्to Dharmaraja (the righteous king)
धर्मराजम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
युधिष्ठिरम्Yudhishthira
युधिष्ठिरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)Y
Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical instruction scene: Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) is about to counsel Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja), emphasizing that righteous kingship requires guidance grounded in dharma and reflective judgment.
After preceding events, the narrator indicates a transition: Vāsudeva begins speaking directly to Yudhiṣṭhira, preparing the audience for advice or clarification on duty, rule, or moral resolution within the Ashvamedhika Parva context.