Mahabharata 3.268.123 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 268, Shloka 123

अङ्गददूतवाक्यं लङ्काप्राकारभेदनं च

Angada’s Embassy and the Breach of Laṅkā’s Ramparts

Devanagari script

पाद्य॑ प्रतिगृहाणेदमासनं च नृपात्मज । मेरे पति कुरुकुलरत्न कुन्तीकुमार राजा युधिष्ठिर सकुशल हैं। मैं

Transliteration

pādyaṃ pratigṛhāṇedam āsanaṃ ca nṛpātmaja | me patī kurukularatnaḥ kuntīkumāro rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ sakuśalaḥ | ahaṃ tasya catvāro bhrātaraś ca ye cānye yān tvam pṛcchasi te sarve kuśalinaḥ | rājakumāra etat pādyaṃ pādaprākṣālanārthaṃ gṛhāṇa idaṃ cāsanaṃ tatropaviśa ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Prinsipe, tanggapin mo ang tubig na ito para sa paghuhugas ng iyong mga paa, at tanggapin mo ang upuang ito. Ang aking asawa—si Yudhiṣṭhira, ang haring isinilang kay Kuntī, hiyas ng angkan ng Kuru—ay ligtas at maayos. Ako man, ang apat niyang kapatid, at ang lahat ng iba pang itinatanong mo, ay pawang nasa mabuting kalusugan. Kunin mo ang tubig na ito para sa paghuhugas ng paa, at maupo ka sa upuang ito.”

Word by Word

• पाद्यम्: water for washing the feet
• पाद्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिगृहाण: accept (receive)
• प्रतिगृहाण: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ग्रह्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आसनम्: seat
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नृपात्मज: O king's son (prince)
• नृपात्मज: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप-आत्मज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuntī
• Kuru dynasty
• the four brothers (Pāṇḍavas other than Yudhiṣṭhira)
• prince (nṛpātmaja/rājakumāra)
• pādya (water for foot-washing)
• āsana (seat)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharmic hospitality: welcoming a guest with pādya (water for washing the feet) and an āsana (seat), while speaking truthfully and reassuringly about the welfare of one’s kin.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker addresses a visiting prince, offers the formal courtesies of reception (foot-washing water and a seat), and reports that Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers, along with others asked about, are all safe and well.