Shloka 26

अर्हणनिर्णयः

Decision on the Highest Honor at the Assembly

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच कस्मै भवान्‌ मन्यते<र्घ्यमेकस्मै कुरुनन्दन । उपनीयमान युक्त च तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kasmai bhavān manyate ’rghyam ekasmai, Kurunandana? upanīyamānaṃ yuktaṃ ca tan me brūhi, Pitāmaha.

Translation

युधिष्ठिर उवाच कस्मै भवान् मन्यतेऽर्घ्यमेकस्मै कुरुनन्दन । उपनीयमानं युक्तं च तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कस्मै: to whom
• कस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

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

• मन्यते: thinks/considers
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• अर्घ्यम्: arghya (honor-offering)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एकस्मै: to one (person)
• एकस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु-नन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• उपनीयमानम्: being offered/brought (to be presented)
• उपनीयमानम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-नी
• Form: Present passive participle, Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• युक्तम्: proper/appropriate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज्
• Form: Past passive participle (used adjectivally), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)
• Arghya (ceremonial honor-offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic discernment in public honor: ceremonial precedence should be decided by what is truly fitting (yukta) and guided by wise elders, not by impulse or factional preference.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly, as an honor-offering (arghya) is about to be presented among many gathered rulers, Yudhiṣṭhira asks the revered elder Bhīṣma to decide who should receive the first and foremost honor.