Shloka 114

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

ततो मयोक्तं तद्‌ वाक्‍्यं प्रहस्य ब्राह्मणर्षभा:

Transliteration

tato mayoktaṁ tad vākyaṁ prahasya brāhmaṇarṣabhāḥ

Translation

于是，噢，婆罗门中最贤者，他们听了我所说的话便哄然一笑，继而作答——对我的陈述以戏谑相待，带着轻慢的消解，而非庄严的领受。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from/then')

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Pronoun; gender: —; case: Instrumental; number: Singular

• उक्तम्: said/uttered
• उक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); gender: Neuter; case: Nominative; number: Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: gender: Neuter; case: Nominative; number: Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: gender: Neuter; case: Nominative; number: Singular

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रहस्
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्); indeclinable

• ब्राह्मणर्षभाः: O best of Brahmins (vocative sense in address)
• ब्राह्मणर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणर्षभ
• Form: gender: Masculine; case: Nominative; number: Plural

Speaker

श्षशुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇarṣabhāḥ (foremost Brahmins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how speech may be received not only by its content but by the listeners’ attitude; laughter here suggests dismissal, reminding that ethical communication involves both speaking responsibly and responding with due seriousness and respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker recounts that after he spoke a particular statement, the Brahmins present laughed and reacted to his words, indicating that his utterance was not taken in a grave or straightforward manner.