Shloka 13

Aśvamedha-saṃbhāra: Return of the Horse, Auspicious Timing, and Construction of the Yajña Enclosure

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तो धर्मराजेन वृष्ण्यन्धकपतिस्तदा । प्रोवाचेदं वचो वाग्मी धर्मात्मानं युधिषछ्ठिरम्‌

Transliteration

ity ukto dharmarājena vṛṣṇy-andhaka-patis tadā | provācedaṃ vaco vāgmī dharmātmānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram ||

Translation

Vì thế, được Dharma-rāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) hỏi như vậy, chúa tể của dòng Vṛṣṇi và Andhaka—bậc hùng biện—đã nói những lời này với Yudhiṣṭhira, người có tâm hồn hướng về dharma. Lời kể mở đầu cho lời đáp của Kṛṣṇa như một lời chỉ dạy đặt nền trên dharma, nhằm dẫn dắt nhà vua trong đạo trị quốc và phép tắc hành xử.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• उक्तः: having been addressed/said to
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• धर्मराजेन: by Dharmaraja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मराजेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वृष्णि-अन्धक-पतिः: the lord of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas
• वृष्णि-अन्धक-पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतिः
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वाग्मी: eloquent
• वाग्मी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाग्मिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मात्मानम्: the righteous-souled (one)
• धर्मात्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरम्: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Kṛṣṇa
• Vṛṣṇis
• Andhakas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse itself functions as a narrative hinge: it emphasizes that Kṛṣṇa’s forthcoming reply is prompted by a dharma-centered question from Yudhiṣṭhira, framing the instruction as authoritative ethical guidance for righteous living and rule.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that, after Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja) addresses him, Kṛṣṇa—described as the eloquent leader of the Vṛṣṇi-Andhaka clans—begins to speak to Yudhiṣṭhira, introducing the next section of counsel.