Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 8

गान्धारीपुत्रोत्पत्तिः — The Birth of Gāndhārī’s Hundred Sons (and Yuyutsu); Omens and Counsel on Succession

कतमेन पथा याता दस्यवो द्विजसत्तम | तेन गच्छामहे ब्रह्मन्‌ यथा शीघ्रतरं वयम्‌

katamena pathā yātā dasyavo dvijasattama | tena gacchāmahe brahman yathā śīghrataraṃ vayam janamejaya ||

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O pinakadakila sa mga dwija, saang daan nagpunta ang mga tulisan? O Brāhmaṇa, nais naming dumaan sa mismong landas na iyon upang makahabol nang lalong mabilis, O Janamejaya.”

कतमेनby which (one)
कतमेन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootकतम
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
पथाby the path/route
पथा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपथ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
याताgone
याता:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootया
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
दस्यवःthieves/robbers
दस्यवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदस्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
द्विजसत्तमO best of the twice-born
द्विजसत्तम:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज-सत्तम
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
तेनby that (way)
तेन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
गच्छामहेwe go / let us go
गच्छामहे:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootगम्
FormPresent (Lat), First, Plural, Atmanepada
ब्रह्मन्O Brahmin
ब्रह्मन्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
यथाso that / as
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
शीघ्रतरम्more quickly
शीघ्रतरम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootशीघ्रतर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वयम्we
वयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Nominative, Plural
जनमेजयO Janamejaya
जनमेजय:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootजनमेजय
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
J
Janamejaya
D
dasyavaḥ (bandits/thieves)
D
dvijasattama (a Brāhmaṇa/ṛṣi addressed)
P
patha (road/path)

Educational Q&A

The verse foregrounds a dharmic dilemma: society’s need for protection and justice presses upon an ascetic, raising questions about how truthfulness, compassion, and the duty to prevent harm should be balanced when asked to aid a pursuit.

Pursuers chasing thieves reach a hermitage and ask a Brāhmaṇa/ṛṣi which route the bandits took, so they can follow quickly; Vaiśampāyana narrates this to King Janamejaya.