Shloka 15

Mahāprasthānika-parva Adhyāya 2: The Northward March, Sight of Himavat and Meru, and the Sequential Falls

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तो भीमसेनेन प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिर: । नकुलं प्रति धर्मात्मा सर्वबुद्धिमतां वर:,भीमसेनके इस प्रकार पूछनेपर समस्त बुद्धिमानोंमें श्रेष्ठ धर्मात्मा युधिष्ठिरने नकुलके विषयमें इस प्रकार उत्तर दिया--

Transliteration

ity ukto bhīmasenena pratyuvāca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | nakulaṃ prati dharmātmā sarvabuddhimatāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Được Bhīmasena hỏi như vậy, Yudhiṣṭhira đáp lời. Bậc có tâm hồn hướng về Dharma ấy—đứng đầu trong hàng trí giả—đã trả lời về Nakula, đặt khuôn khổ đạo lý cho cuộc hành trình cuối cùng của họ.

Word by Word

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

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

• भीमसेनेन: by Bhimasena
• भीमसेनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नकुलम्: Nakula
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards / regarding
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वबुद्धिमताम्: of all the wise
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वबुद्धिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: best / foremost
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīmasena
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Nakula

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds Yudhiṣṭhira as the exemplar of dharma and discernment: when questioned, he responds not impulsively but with ethical clarity, indicating that even in moments of loss and hardship one should interpret events through the lens of dharma and right understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Mahāprasthāna (the Pāṇḍavas’ final departure), Bhīma asks a question, and Yudhiṣṭhira answers specifically regarding Nakula—introducing the explanation that follows about the moral or spiritual reason connected with Nakula in the unfolding journey.