Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

कुटीं प्रवेशयामासु: क्षुधार्तमतिथिं तदा । ब्राह्मण-परिवारके सब लोग विशुद्धचित्त

Transliteration

kuṭīṁ praveśayāmāsuḥ kṣudhārtam atithiṁ tadā | idaṁ arghyaṁ ca pādyaṁ ca āsī ca iyaṁ tavānagha |

Translation

于是他们将那饥饿困苦的宾客引入茅庵。说道：“无垢者啊，此有迎宾之供——阿尔伽（arghya）与洗足之水（pādya），并有座席为你备下。”又以恭敬之心奉上以正当所得之清净萨图（sattū）。

Word by Word

• कुटीम्: hut, cottage
• कुटीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रवेशयामासुः: they caused (him) to enter / led (him) in
• प्रवेशयामासुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (causative: प्रवेशय-)
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• क्षुधा-आर्तम्: distressed by hunger
• क्षुधा-आर्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा + आर्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अतिथिम्: guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अर्घ्यम्: honor-offering (arghya)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• पाद्यम्: water for washing the feet
• पाद्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• आसी: was / existed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• इयम्: this (f.)
• इयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तव: for you / of you
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• अनघ: O sinless one
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• atithi (guest Brahmin)
• kuṭī (hermitage hut)
• arghya
• pādya
• āsana (seat)
• sattū/saktu (parched grain flour)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights atithi-dharma: a guest—especially one in distress—must be welcomed with honor (arghya, pādya, seat, and food), offered with purity, humility, and honestly earned resources, free from pride, anger, and envy.

What is happening in the narrative?

A hungry Brahmin guest arrives, and the hosts lead him into their hut and formally receive him by presenting the customary items of welcome—arghya, water for washing the feet, and a seat—along with pure provisions such as saktu.