Shloka 4

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत आश्रमवासिकपव॑के अन्तर्गत आश्रमवासपर्वमें व्यायकी आज्ञाविषयक चौथा अध्याय पूरा हुआ,उस समय उनके पीछे-पीछे ज्ञानी विदुर, सारथि संजय तथा शरद्वानके पुत्र महाधनुर्धर कृपाचार्य भी गये ।।

Transliteration

sa praviśya gṛhaṃ rājan kṛta-pūrvāhṇika-kriyaḥ | tarpayitvā dvija-śreṣṭhān āhāram akarot tadā ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：大王啊，他进入屋内，完成了上午应行的宗教仪轨之后，便以饮食使最尊贵的婆罗门们满足；随后按次第，他自己才用餐。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• गृहम्: the house
• गृहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कृत-पूर्वाह्णिक-क्रियः: one who had performed the forenoon rites
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + पूर्वाह्णिक + क्रिया
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तर्पयित्वा: having satisfied (fed/pleased)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (तर्पयति)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (causative usage)

• द्विज-श्रेष्ठान्: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विज-श्रेष्ठान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आहारम्: food/meal
• आहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अकरोत्: did/made (took)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya (implied by 'rājan')
• dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ (foremost Brahmins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic order in daily life: complete prescribed rites first, honour and nourish worthy guests—especially learned Brahmins—and only then attend to one’s own needs. It presents restraint and prioritizing duty over personal comfort as ethical conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

The person described enters the house, performs the forenoon religious observances, offers food and drink to eminent Brahmins until they are satisfied, and afterward takes his own meal—showing a household scene governed by ritual propriety and hospitality.