Shloka 54

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त: स तया सक्तून्‌ प्रगृहोदं वचो5ब्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

ity uktaḥ sa tayā saktūn pragṛhodaṃ vaco 'bravīt

Translation

Được nàng nói như vậy, chàng liền nâng lễ vật saktu lên, làm cử chỉ nghênh tiếp đầy kính cẩn rồi cất lời đáp lại—bộc lộ sự nhã nhặn và tự chế mà một gia thất theo chính pháp phải giữ gìn, dẫu đang lâm cảnh khốn khó.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti

• uktaḥ: having been spoken to / addressed
• uktaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (√vac) → ukta (PPP)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (pronoun)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tayā: by her
• tayā: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (pronoun)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• saktūn: parched grain/flour-balls (saktu)
• saktūn: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: saktu
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• pragṛhya: having taken/accepted
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + grah (√grah)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (pronoun)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• vacaḥ: speech/words
• vacaḥ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• abravīt: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (√brū)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• a woman (tayā, unnamed in this verse)
• saktūn (parched grain/food offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in strained circumstances, dharma is upheld through respectful reception of offerings and measured speech; courtesy and restraint are presented as ethical strengths.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a woman addresses him, Nakula accepts the simple food (saktūn) and responds with words, indicating a formal, courteous exchange and the observance of proper conduct.