Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 33

Kṛṣṇa’s Departure, Auspicious Omens, and the Opening of the Uttaṅka Dialogue (कृष्णप्रयाण-निमित्त-उत्तङ्कसंवाद-प्रारम्भः)

Devanagari script

जनार्दनं च मेधावी व्यसर्जयत वै गृहान्‌ । तेडनुज्ञाता नृपतिना ययु: स्वं स्वं निवेशनम्‌

Transliteration

janārdanaṃ ca medhāvī vyasarjayata vai gṛhān | te 'nujñātā nṛpatinā yayuḥ svaṃ svaṃ niveśanam ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说：那位睿智的国王遣送阇那尔达那（室利·奎师那）及其余诸人回家。得了君王许可，他们便启程——各自返回本宅——此举彰显王者礼度、对宾客的敬重，以及大事之后生活秩序的有序复归。

Word by Word

• जनार्दनम्: Janardana (Krishna)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मेधावी: the wise one
• मेधावी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेधाविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्यसर्जयत: dismissed / sent away
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृज्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• गृहान्: to (their) homes
• गृहान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अनुज्ञाताः: having been permitted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + ज्ञा
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नृपतिना: by the king
• नृपतिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ययुः: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• स्वम्: one's own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्वम्: one's own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निवेशनम्: dwelling, residence
• निवेशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेशन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janārdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• nṛpati (the king; contextually Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the surrounding narrative)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dhārmic kingship expressed through proper leave-taking: a ruler honors guests and maintains social order by formally granting permission to depart, reflecting restraint, respect, and decorum.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the events being narrated, the king (understood in context as Dhṛtarāṣṭra) gives leave to Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) and the assembled Kurus/warriors; with the king’s consent, they return to their respective homes.