Shloka 22

Vyāsa’s Boon-Offer and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse in the Forest Assembly (आश्रमवासिक पर्व, अध्याय ३६)

Devanagari script

ततः स नृपतिर्दूष्टवा वह्निमायान्तमन्तिकात्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ sa nṛpatir dṛṣṭvā vahnim āyāntam antikāt

Translation

Rồi nhà vua, thấy lửa đã áp sát, liền tỉnh giác trước bước ngoặt nghiêm trọng—một khoảnh khắc điềm dữ, khi hệ quả của nghiệp xưa và tính tất yếu của thời gian dồn ép ngay cả bậc hùng cường.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from/thereupon')

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), 'having seen'

• वह्निम्: the fire
• वह्निम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• आयान्तम्: coming; approaching
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), masculine, accusative, singular

• अन्तिकात्: from nearby; from close at hand
• अन्तिकात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तिक
• Form: Neuter, ablative, singular (used adverbially: 'from near/at close range')

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• nṛpati (the king)
• vahni (fire)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even royal power cannot stand against the approach of inevitable forces—time, consequence, and mortality. The verse underscores vigilance and humility: when the results of prior actions draw near, one must face them with clarity rather than denial.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada narrates that the king notices fire coming close. This signals an imminent crisis or transformative event, setting up the next actions and reactions in the Ashramavāsika narrative context.