Shloka 43

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

Book 14, Chapter 89

Devanagari script

उपाजिघ्रद्‌ यथाशास्त्र सर्वपापापहं तदा । भाइयोंसहित धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने शास्त्रकी आज्ञाके अनुसार उस चर्बीके धूमकी गन्ध सूँघी

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

upājighrad yathāśāstraṃ sarvapāpāpahaṃ tadā |

dīyatāṃ bhujyatāṃ ceṣṭaṃ divārātram avāritam |

taṃ mahotsava-saṅkāśaṃ hṛṣṭa-puṣṭa-janākulam |

Translation

毗舍波耶那说：于是，法王由提施提罗与诸弟依经律之法，吸闻那烟香——人们相信其能荡除一切罪垢。“当施与布施；当食所愿之味——昼夜不绝，无所禁限。”那景象宛如盛大节会，人群熙攘，人人欢悦而饱足。

Word by Word

• उपाजिघ्रत्: smelled (inhaled the scent)
• उपाजिघ्रत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-घ्रा (धातु: घ्रा)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथा: according to; as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शास्त्रम्: the scripture; rule
• शास्त्रम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वपापापहम्: removing all sins
• सर्वपापापहम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-पाप-अपह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• दीयताम्: let (it) be given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु: दा)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3, Singular, Atmanepada, impersonal/passive-style injunction: 'let it be given'

• भुज्यताम्: let (it) be eaten/enjoyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु: भुज्)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3, Singular, Atmanepada, impersonal/passive-style injunction: 'let it be eaten/enjoyed'

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

• इष्टम्: what is desired; the wished-for (thing/act)
• इष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा

• रात्रम्: night (through the night)
• रात्रम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular, used adverbially with 'दिवा' in the sense 'day and night'

• अवारितम्: unhindered; without obstruction
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-वारित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, past passive participle from √वार्/√वृ (to hinder) with negation

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महोत्सवसंकाशम्: resembling a great festival
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-उत्सव-संकाश
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलम्: crowded with delighted and well-fed people
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट-पुष्ट-जन-आकुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira
• Yudhiṣṭhira's brothers (the Pāṇḍavas)
• śāstra (scriptural injunction)
• purifying smoke/fragrance (from sacrificial rite)
• gifts (dāna)
• festival-like celebration (mahotsava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links royal ritual duty with ethical restoration: purification is pursued through śāstra-guided action, and kingship is expressed through generosity and public welfare—gifts and sustenance offered freely, creating social harmony after conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Aśvamedha-related proceedings, Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers perform a prescribed act of inhaling the purifying sacrificial smoke. The occasion then turns into an open, continuous celebration marked by giving and feasting, resembling a grand festival filled with happy, well-fed crowds.