Shloka 36

अर्जुनदुःखहेतुप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the cause of Arjuna’s recurring hardship

Book 14, Chapter 89

Devanagari script

श्रपयामासुरव्यग्रा विधिवद्‌ भरतर्षभ । भरतश्रेष्ठ! इसके बाद ब्राह्मणोंने शान्तचित्त होकर उस अश्वकी चर्बी निकाली और उसका विधिपूर्वक श्रपण करना आरम्भ किया

Transliteration

śrapayāmāsur avyagrā vidhivad bharatarṣabha | nṛpatīṁś caiva tān sarvān suvibhaktān supūjitān | prasthāpayāmāsa vaśī kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“噢，婆罗多族中的雄牛啊，婆罗门们心神安定，不急不躁，取出马的脂膏，依照所规定的仪轨开始烹煮。随后，克鲁族那位自制的国王由提施提罗，妥善分赐礼物，并以格外的敬礼款待诸王，遂按礼正式送他们启程。”

Word by Word

• श्रपयामासुः: they cooked/boiled
• श्रपयामासुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, बहुवचन

• अव्यग्राः: unagitated, calm
• अव्यग्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विधिवत्: according to rule/ritual
• विधिवत्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• नृपतीन्: kings
• नृपतीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सुविभक्तान्: well apportioned/properly gifted
• सुविभक्तान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-विभक्त (कृदन्त; वि+भज्)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सुपूजितान्: well honored
• सुपूजितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-पूजित (कृदन्त; पूज्)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• प्रस्थापयामास: he sent off/dismissed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था/स्थाप् (धातु; causative sense)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन

• वशी: self-controlled, masterful
• वशी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कुरुराजः: the king of the Kurus
• कुरुराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु-राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Brahmins
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuru kingdom (Kururāja)
• kings (nṛpati)
• the sacrificial horse (aśva)
• horse’s fat (medas/vasā implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights dharmic kingship: rituals must be performed calmly and according to injunctions, and a ruler should practice self-control while honoring guests and allies through proper gifts and respectful dismissal.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Aśvamedha proceedings, Brahmins ritually prepare part of the sacrificial offering (the horse’s fat) as prescribed. After the rite-related duties, Yudhiṣṭhira distributes gifts appropriately, honors the assembled kings, and then sends them back with due ceremony.