Shloka 11

Gālava Completes the Horse-Gift: Garuḍa’s Counsel and Viśvāmitra’s Acceptance (गालव-विष्वामित्र-सम्बन्धः)

Devanagari script

शते द्वे तु ममाश्वानामीदृशानां द्विजोत्तम | इतरेषां सहस्राणि सुबहूनि चरन्ति मे,द्विजश्रेष्ठ आपको जिनकी आवश्यकता है, ऐसे अश्व तो मेरे पास दो ही सौ हैं। दूसरी जातिके तो कई सहस्र घोड़े मेरे यहाँ विचरते हैं

Transliteration

śate dve tu mamāśvānām īdṛśānāṃ dvijottama | itareṣāṃ sahasrāṇi subahūni caranti me ||

Translation

नारद उवाच—द्विजोत्तम, यानश्वान् त्वं याचसे तादृशा मम शते द्वे एव सन्ति। इतरेषां तु जातीनां सहस्राणि बहूनि मम गृहे विचरन्ति॥

Word by Word

शतेin (the) two hundreds

द्वेtwo

तुbut/indeed

ममof me / my

अश्वानाम्of horses

ईदृशानाम्of such (a kind)

द्विजोत्तमO best of the twice-born (brahmin)

इतरेषाम्of the others

सहस्राणिthousands

सुबहूनिvery many

चरन्तिmove about / roam / are found

मेof me / with me / in my possession

द्विजश्रेष्ठO best of the twice-born

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

dvijottama (a Brahmin addressee)

horses (aśvāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights discernment in resources: what is needed is not merely quantity but the right kind. It also reflects truthful accounting and responsible communication in contexts of request and preparation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada responds to a Brahmin’s request about horses, stating that only two hundred match the specified type, while many thousands of other kinds are available in his possession.