Shloka 20

अश्वमेधावसानम् — Dakṣiṇā-vibhāga and Avabhṛtha

Completion of the Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

तदा संधाय शक्रेण पप्रच्छुर्न॒पतिं वसुम्‌ धर्मसंशयमापन्नान्‌ सत्यं ब्रूहि महामते

Transliteration

tadā sandhāya śakreṇa papracchur nṛpatiṁ vasum | dharmasaṁśayam āpannān satyaṁ brūhi mahāmate bharatanandana ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说：于是仙人们与释迦（因陀罗）商议之后，便询问婆苏王。因正法之疑而心神不宁，他们说道：“大智者，婆罗多族之荣光，请为我们道出真相。”

Word by Word

• {'tadā': 'then', 'sandhāya': 'having joined together

• having conferred/consulted', 'śakreṇa': 'with Śakra (Indra)', 'papracchuḥ': 'they asked, they inquired', 'nṛpatim': 'the king', 'vasum': 'Vasu (Uparicara Vasu), proper name', 'dharma-saṁśayam': 'doubt/uncertainty about dharma (right conduct, law, duty)', 'āpannān': 'having fallen into

• having come to be in (a state)', 'satyam': 'truth', 'brūhi': 'speak, tell (imperative)', 'mahāmate': 'O great-minded/wise one', 'bharatanandana': 'O joy of the Bharata lineage (honorific address)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śakra (Indra)
• King Vasu (Uparicara Vasu)
• Ṛṣis (seers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When dharma becomes uncertain, one should seek clarification through deliberation and then commit to truth (satya). The verse highlights truthfulness as the proper response to ethical doubt.

What is happening in the narrative?

The seers, distressed by a dispute about dharma, consult Indra and then approach King Vasu, requesting a truthful ruling or explanation to resolve their uncertainty.