Shloka 17

आदि पर्व — खाण्डवदाह प्रसङ्गः: पावकस्य याचनं तथा इन्द्रवर्षनिवारणोपायः

Adi Parva — Khāṇḍava episode: Agni’s request and the means to resist Indra’s rain

Devanagari script

ताभि: सार्थ प्रयातास्मि लोकपालनिवेशनम्‌ । ततः पश्यामहे सर्वा ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम्‌,उन सबके साथ एक दिन मैं लोकपाल कुबेरके घरपर जा रही थी। मार्गमें हम सबने उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले एक ब्राह्मणको देखा

Transliteration

tābhiḥ sārthaṃ prayātāsmi lokapāla-niveśanam | tataḥ paśyāmahe sarvā brāhmaṇaṃ saṃśita-vratam ||

Translation

“ข้าพร้อมสหายนางทั้งนั้นออกเดินทางไปยังเรือนของโลกบาล (กุเบร) ครั้นระหว่างทาง พวกเราทั้งหมดได้เห็นพราหมณ์ผู้มั่นคงในวัตรอันเคร่งครัด”

Word by Word

• ताभिः: with those (women/ones)
• ताभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सार्थम्: together, along with
• सार्थम्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्थम् (अव्यय)

• प्रयाता: having gone / having set out
• प्रयाता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु) → प्रयात (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्री, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, एकवचन

• लोकपालनिवेशनम्: the dwelling/abode of the Lokapāla
• लोकपालनिवेशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपाल-निवेशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• पश्यामहे: we see
• पश्यामहे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all (of us)
• सर्वाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणम्: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• संशितव्रतम्: one whose vow is well-observed/strict
• संशितव्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संशित-व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Lokapāla (guardian deity)
• Kubera (implied by Lokapāla-niveśana in this context)
• Brāhmaṇa (unnamed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds respect for disciplined ethical practice: the brāhmaṇa is identified not by wealth or power but by steadfast observance of vows (vrata), implying that moral restraint and self-control are marks of true excellence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker narrates a journey undertaken in the company of women toward the abode of a Lokapāla (contextually Kubera). En route, the group encounters a brāhmaṇa renowned for strict observance of vows, setting up a significant meeting or episode to follow.