Shloka 1

दूतप्रेषणम् — Dispatch of Messengers to Kekaya

Bharata’s Recall

Devanagari script

तेषां हि वचनं श्रुत्वा वसिष्ठः प्रत्युवाच ह।मित्रामात्यगणान्सर्वान्ब्राह्मणांस्तानिदं वचः।।2.68.1।।

Transliteration

teṣāṃ hi vacanaṃ śrutvā vasiṣṭhaḥ pratyuvāca ha | mitrāmātyagaṇān sarvān brāhmaṇāṃs tān idaṃ vacaḥ ||

Translation

వారి మాటలు విని మునిశ్రేష్ఠుడు వసిష్ఠుడు సమస్త మిత్ర-అమాత్యగణములకు మరియు ఆ బ్రాహ్మణులకు ఈ వాక్యమును పలికెను।

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta, causal/emphatic

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; object of 'śrutvā'

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), 'having heard'

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati+√vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्/Imperfect past), Prathama-puruṣa, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ह: indeed (narrative)
• ह: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta, narrative particle

• मित्र-अमात्य-गणान्: groups of friends and ministers
• मित्र-अमात्य-गणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक) + amātya (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural; object addressed/mentioned

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; adjective to '...gaṇān/brāhmaṇān/tān'

• ब्राह्मणान्: brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Accusative, Plural; apposition to the addressed group

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective/pronominal determiner to 'vacaḥ'

• वचः: speech/statement
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; object (what he spoke)

Context

Having listened to their (the counsellors') words, Vasistha replied to the host of friends and counsellors of the king and to all the brahmins:

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• brāhmaṇas
• ministers (amātyas)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma works through wise counsel: in crisis, the guru-priest guides rulers and ministers toward lawful, stabilizing action.

What is the narrative situation?

After the ministers urge immediate kingship arrangements, Vasiṣṭha begins his formal response to the assembled leaders and priests.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vasiṣṭha’s authority and discernment—calm, procedural leadership grounded in tradition and duty.