Shloka 4

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Procession, Encampment (Niveśa), and Auspicious Timing for Ritual Action

Devanagari script

श्रुतं वो वचनं वीरा: सौहृदाद्‌ यन्महात्मना

Transliteration

śrutaṃ vo vacanaṃ vīrāḥ sauhṛdād yanmahātmanā

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“诸位英雄，我已听闻你们出于善意而说的话——那是对那位心怀高贵之人所陈述的。”

Word by Word

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रुत (√श्रु)
• Form: past (perfective sense via past passive participle), singular, passive (PPP), neuter, nominative/accusative

• वः: to/for you (pl.)
• वः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: all, genitive/dative, plural

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• वीराः: O heroes
• वीराः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: masculine, vocative, plural

• सौहृदात्: out of friendship, from goodwill
• सौहृदात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौहृद
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• यत्: which, that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical speech: counsel offered from sauhṛda (goodwill) is to be received with attention and respect, especially in royal or martial contexts where decisions affect many.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, marks that the heroes’ words—spoken in a friendly spirit—have been heard and acknowledged by a noble figure, setting up the next response or decision in the episode.