Shloka 2

Aśmagīta: Janaka’s Inquiry on Loss, Kāla, and the Limits of Control (अश्मगीता)

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । अश्मगीतं नरव्याप्र तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | aśmagītaṁ nara-vyāghra tan nibodha yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

Vyāsa nói: “Này Yudhiṣṭhira, hổ tướng giữa loài người, trong việc này nữa, bậc học giả thường nêu một điển tích cổ. Hãy lắng nghe ta kể lại câu chuyện xưa được gọi là ‘Khúc ca của Aśmā’.”

Word by Word

• {'vyāsa uvāca': 'Vyāsa said', 'atra api': 'here also

• in this context too', 'udāharanti': 'they cite

• they adduce as an example', 'imam': 'this', 'itihāsam': 'ancient narrative

• traditional account (used as moral precedent)', 'purātanam': 'ancient

• of old', 'aśmagītam': 'the ‘Song of Aśmā’ (a traditional didactic song/account)', 'nara-vyāghra': 'tiger among men

• best of men (honorific address)', 'tat': 'that', 'nibodha': 'understand

• learn', 'yudhiṣṭhira': 'Yudhiṣṭhira'}

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Aśmā (associated with the Aśmagīta)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral instruction is often conveyed through ancient precedents (itihāsa). Vyāsa signals that the ethical point under discussion will be clarified by a traditional exemplum, urging attentive listening and understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and introduces an old illustrative story—called the Aśmagīta—presented as a well-known example cited by the learned, preparing the listener for a didactic account.