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Shloka 20

Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)

असृजद्धि प्रजा राजन्‌ प्रजापतिरकल्मष: । मां यक्ष्यन्तीति धर्मात्मा यज्ञैविविधदक्षिणै:,राजन! पापरहित धर्मात्मा प्रजापतिने इस उद्देश्यसे प्रजाओंकी सृष्टि की कि “ये नाना प्रकारकी दक्षिणावाले यज्ञोंद्वारा मेरा यजन करेंगी”

asṛjaddhi prajā rājan prajāpatir akalmaṣaḥ | māṃ yakṣyantīti dharmātmā yajñair vividha-dakṣiṇaiḥ ||

ఓ రాజా, కల్మషరహితుడైన ధర్మాత్మ ప్రజాపతి ఈ ఉద్దేశంతో ప్రజలను సృష్టించాడు—“వారు నానావిధ దక్షిణలతో కూడిన యజ్ఞాల ద్వారా నన్ను యజించాలి.”

असृजत्created
असृजत्:
TypeVerb
Rootसृज्
Formलङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
प्रजाःcreatures/subjects
प्रजाः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजा
FormFeminine, Accusative, Plural
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
प्रजापतिःPrajapati (Lord of creatures)
प्रजापतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजापति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अकल्मषःsinless/untainted
अकल्मषः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअकल्मष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
माम्me
माम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormAccusative, Singular
यक्ष्यन्तिthey will worship/sacrifice to
यक्ष्यन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootयज्
Formलृट् (Simple Future), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada
इतिthus/quoting
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
धर्मात्माrighteous-souled
धर्मात्मा:
TypeAdjective
Rootधर्मात्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
यज्ञैःby sacrifices
यज्ञैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootयज्ञ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
विविधदक्षिणैःhaving various fees (dakshinas)
विविधदक्षिणैः:
TypeAdjective
Rootविविधदक्षिण
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural

नकुल उवाच

N
Nakula
R
Rājan (the King addressed)
P
Prajāpati
P
Prajā (creatures/subjects)
Y
Yajña
D
Dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gifts)

Educational Q&A

Creation is linked to dharma: beings are meant to sustain a sacred reciprocity through yajña—worship expressed as disciplined action and generous giving (dakṣiṇā), which supports moral and social order.

Nakula addresses a king and explains a doctrinal point: Prajāpati, pure and righteous, created beings with the intention that they would worship him through sacrifices endowed with varied gifts, presenting yajña as a foundational principle of life and society.