Shloka 43

दानपात्रापात्र-निर्णयः / Determining Worthy Gifts, Recipients, and Permissible Food

Devanagari script

ततो वैतालिकै: सूतैमागधैश्न सुभाषितै: । स्तूयमानो ययौ राजा नगरं नागसाह्दयम्‌,इस प्रकार वैतालिकों, सूतों और मागधोंद्वारा सुन्दर वाणीमें अपनी स्तुति सुनते हुए राजा युधिष्ठिरने हस्तिनापुर नगरमें प्रवेश किया

Transliteration

tato vaitālikaiḥ sūtaiḥ māgadhaiś ca subhāṣitaiḥ | stūyamāno yayau rājā nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam ||

Translation

ततो वैतालिकैः सूतैर्मागधैश्च सुभाषितैः । स्तूयमानो ययौ राजा नगरं नागसाह्वयम् ॥

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

वैताळिकैःby bards (vaitālika-s)

सूतैःby charioteers/panegyrists (sūta-s)

मागधैःby Magadha bards (māgadha-s)

चand

सुभाषितैःwith well-spoken words; with fine utterances

स्तूयमानःbeing praised

ययौwent

राजाthe king

नगरम्to the city

नागसाहृदयम्having the goodwill/affection of the Nāgas (i.e., beloved of the Nāgas)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

Vaitālikas

Sūtas

Māgadhas

Nāgasāhvaya (Hastināpura)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal that rightful kingship is affirmed through social recognition and orderly public life: praise by traditional bards symbolizes legitimacy, stability, and the community’s hope that the ruler will uphold dharma and protect the realm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Yudhiṣṭhira proceeds into the city called Nāgasāhvaya (Hastināpura) while professional court-bards—Vaitālikas, Sūtas, and Māgadhas—accompany him with eloquent eulogies.