Shloka 12

Āśvamedha-dīkṣā-nirdeśaḥ — Scheduling the Initiation and Assigning Protection for the Horse

Devanagari script

सह वृष्ण्यन्धकव्याप्रैरुपासांचक्रिरे तदा | तत्र नानाविधाकारा: कथा: समभिकीरत्त्य वै

Transliteration

saha vṛṣṇyandhakavyāprair upāsāṃ cakrire tadā | tatra nānāvidhākārāḥ kathāḥ samabhikīrtya vai ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు చెప్పెను: అప్పుడు వృష్ణి, అంధక వంశాల ప్రధాన వీరులతో కలిసి వారు భక్తితో ఉపాసన-సేవ చేశారు. అక్కడ అనేక విధాలైన కథలు, వృత్తాంతాలు యథోచితంగా చెప్పబడగా, ధర్మోచితమైన స్నేహసమ్మేళనం మరియు పరామర్శ సాగింది.

Word by Word

सहtogether with

वृष्णि-अन्धक-व्याघ्रैःwith the lions among the Vrishnis and Andhakas

उपासान्attendances; services; acts of waiting upon

चक्रिरेthey performed; they did

तदाthen

तत्रthere

नाना-विध-आकाराःof many kinds and forms

कथाःstories; conversations

समभिकीरत्त्यthey recounted; they narrated

वैindeed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vṛṣṇis

Andhakas

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 dharmic social conduct: honoring worthy persons through respectful attendance (upāsā) and sustaining communal harmony through thoughtful narration and discussion, especially after major events.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group, along with the prominent Vṛṣṇi-Andhaka figures, gathers and pays respectful attendance; in that setting they recount various stories and engage in many kinds of conversation.