Shloka 45
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
Devanagari script
अपि कीटपतड़ानां मृगाणां चैव शोभने
Transliteration
api kīṭapataḍānāṁ mṛgāṇāṁ caiva śobhane
Translation
نکُل نے کہا—اے خوبرو! کیڑے مکوڑوں اور پرندوں میں بھی، اور اسی طرح جنگلی جانوروں میں بھی…
Word by Word
अपिeven; also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
कीटपतङ्गानाम्of insects and flying creatures
कीटपतङ्गानाम्:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootकीटपतङ्ग
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
मृगाणाम्of animals (wild beasts/deer)
मृगाणाम्:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootमृग
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed; just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
शोभनेin/at the beautiful (place/thing)
शोभने:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootशोभन
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
Speaker
नकुल उवाच
Characters & Entities
N
Nakula (speaker)K
kīṭa (insects)P
pataḍa (birds)M
mṛga (wild animals)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The line introduces an ethical comparison drawn from nature: even among the smallest creatures— insects, birds, and wild animals—one can observe patterns of conduct and relationship that can be used to reflect on proper human behavior (dharma).
Nakula begins a statement addressed to a woman (“O fair one”), setting up an argument or illustration that will appeal to examples from the animal world—starting with insects, birds, and beasts—before completing the point in the following verses.