Shloka 26

Śāṃtanu’s Ideal Rule; Devavrata’s Return; The Satyavatī Marriage Condition and Bhīṣma’s Vow (आदि पर्व, अध्याय ९४)

Devanagari script

यदष्टक प्रब्रवीमीह सत्यं प्रतर्दन॑ चौषदर्शिंव तथैव । सर्वे च लोका मुनयश्न देवा: सत्येन पूज्या इति मे मनोगतम्‌,अष्टक! मैं तुमसे, प्रतर्दनसे और उषदश्चके पुत्र वसुमानसे भी यहाँ जो कुछ कहता हूँ; वह सब सत्य ही है। मेरे मनका यह विश्वास है कि समस्त लोक, मुनि और देवता सत्यसे ही पूजनीय होते हैं

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: yad Aṣṭaka prabravīmīha satyaṃ Pratardanaṃ cauṣadarśiṃva tathaiva | sarve ca lokā munayaś ca devāḥ satyena pūjyā iti me manogatam ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను— ఓ అష్టకా! ఇక్కడ నేను నీతో, ప్రతర్దనతో, అలాగే ఉషదర్శిన్ కుమారునితో చెప్పుచున్నది అంతా సత్యమే. నా మనస్సులో స్థిరమైన నిశ్చయం— సమస్త లోకాలు, మునులు, దేవతలు సత్యమువలననే పూజ్యులు అవుతారు.

Word by Word

{'prabravīmi''I declare, I state (solemnly)', 'iha': 'here, in this context', 'satyam': 'truth

integrity', 'Aṣṭaka''name of a person addressed (vocative)', 'Pratardana': 'name of a person (proper noun)', 'Uṣadarśi': 'a proper name

here in relation to a son/descendant', 'tathaiva''just so

in the same manner', 'sarve lokāḥ''all worlds/realms

all people everywhere (by extension)', 'munayaḥ''sages, seers', 'devāḥ': 'gods, divine beings', 'satyena': 'by/through truth (instrumental)', 'pūjyāḥ': 'worthy of worship/honor/reverence', 'me': 'my', 'manogatam': 'what has entered the mind

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Aṣṭaka

Pratardana

Uṣadarśi (as a lineage reference)

munis (sages)

devas (gods)

lokas (worlds/realms)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Truth (satya) is presented as the basis of honor and reverence: beings become worthy of worship and respect through truthfulness and integrity, and truthful speech is treated as a dharmic foundation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses Aṣṭaka and references Pratardana and a figure connected with Uṣadarśi, affirming that what he is stating is true and grounding his instruction in the ethical principle that truth is what makes sages, gods, and all realms worthy of reverence.