Shloka 40

Nakula’s Declaration and the Uñchavṛtti Brāhmaṇa’s Superior Merit (Āśvamedhika Parva, Adhyāya 92)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एतत्‌ पूर्व न पृष्टो5हं न चास्माभि: प्रभाषितम्‌ | श्रूयतां नकुलो योडसौ यथा वाक्‌ तस्य मानुषी

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: etat pūrvaṁ na pṛṣṭo ’haṁ na cāsmābhiḥ prabhāṣitam | śrūyatāṁ Nakulo yo ’sau yathā vāk tasya mānuṣī ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说：“大王，此事你先前未曾问起，我也未曾言及。如今既然询问，且听我说。我将说明那獴（那库拉）究竟是谁，以及他为何能发出如人一般的言语。”

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• पृष्टः: asked (been asked)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रभाषितम्: spoken, told
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-भाष्
• Form: क्त, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard; listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Third, Singular, Passive

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असौ: that (one)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: असद्/अदस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: how; in what manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वाक्: speech, voice
• वाक्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• मानुषी: human (f.)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुषी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nakula
• Rājan (the King, i.e., Janamejaya as listener)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined storytelling: a narrator speaks when prompted, and gives a clear, ordered explanation. It models respectful inquiry and responsible transmission of knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana tells the king that this topic had not been asked before, but since it is now requested, he will explain who Nakula is and why Nakula’s speech is described as human-like.