Mahabharata — Ashramavasika Parva, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

तत्रैव तेषां कृत्यानि गड्जाद्वारेडन्वशात्‌ तदा । कर्तव्यानीति पुरुषान्‌ दत्तदेयान्महीपति:

Transliteration

tatraiva teṣāṁ kṛtyāni gaḍjādvāreḍanvaśāt tadā | kartavyānīti puruṣān dattadeyān mahīpatiḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波衍那说道：就在那处，国王随即依照门阙及其周围既定的秩序，吩咐众人——那些应得其分者——去办理必须完成的诸般事务。于是，凡当行之事皆得成就，应予之分亦被如法授与。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: all, Genitive, Plural

• कृत्यानि: duties/necessary acts
• कृत्यानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• गजद्वारे: at the elephant-gate
• गजद्वारे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजद्वार
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अन्वशात्: he commanded/ordered
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-शास्
• Form: Aorist (simple aorist), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• कर्तव्यानि: to be done/obligatory
• कर्तव्यानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• पुरुषान्: men/attendants
• पुरुषान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दत्तदेयान्: those to whom gifts are to be given / recipients of grants
• दत्तदेयान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्तदेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• महीपतिः: the king
• महीपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• mahīpati (the king)
• puruṣāḥ (men/attendants)
• dvāra (gate)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights rājadharma: a ruler must ensure that necessary duties are executed in proper order and that people receive what is rightfully due to them. Ethical governance is shown through clear instruction, orderly procedure, and fair distribution.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the king, on the spot, issues instructions to his men about the tasks that must be performed and about giving out what is owed or allotted, maintaining order around the gate area and ensuring proper arrangements.