Mahabharata — Ashramavasika Parva, Shloka 16

अश्रमवासिनां विषादः — Lament in Hastināpura after the Elders’ Forest Withdrawal

Devanagari script

विदितं मम राजेन्द्र यत्‌ ते हृदि विवक्षितम्‌

Transliteration

viditaṃ mama rājendra yat te hṛdi vivakṣitam

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Hỡi bậc vương giả tối thượng, ta đã biết điều mà ngài định thổ lộ trong lòng.”

Word by Word

• विदितम्: is known
• विदितम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विदित (√विद्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• हृदि: in (your) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विवक्षितम्: intended / wished to be said
• विवक्षितम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विवक्षित (√वच्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rājendra (addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights discernment and empathetic understanding in counsel: a wise speaker recognizes another’s inner intention before it is voiced, suggesting that ethical guidance begins with grasping the heart’s purpose, not merely the spoken words.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king respectfully as “rājendra” and indicates that he already understands what the king is about to say, setting a tone of intimate counsel and foreknowledge before the king’s intention is articulated.