Shloka 29

Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

यजस्व वाजिमेधेन विधिवद्‌ दक्षिणावता । वयं ते किंकरा: पार्थ वासुदेवश्च वीर्यवान्‌

Transliteration

yajasva vājimedhena vidhivad dakṣiṇāvatā | vayaṁ te kiṅkarāḥ pārtha vāsudevaś ca vīryavān |

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“昆蒂之子啊，当依所定仪轨如法举行马祭（Aśvamedha），并以相称的祭礼赠施（dakṣiṇā）予诸司祭者。我们皆为你之使役，帕尔塔啊——那勇力无双的婆苏提婆亦然——随时奉行你的命令。”

Word by Word

• यजस्व: perform sacrifice (do worship)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, 2, singular

• वाजिमेधेन: by the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• वाजिमेधेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिमेध
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• विधिवत्: according to rule; duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• दक्षिणावता: with (proper) sacrificial fees/gifts
• दक्षिणावता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणावत्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: nominative, plural

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: dative, singular

• किंकराः: servants; attendants
• किंकराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंकर
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• पार्थ: O Pārtha (son of Pṛthā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• वासुदेवः: Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• वासुदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

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

• वीर्यवान्: mighty; valorous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gifts/fees)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharmic action must be performed correctly (vidhivat) and ethically, which includes generosity through dakṣiṇā. Authority is also tempered by humility: even great heroes and Kṛṣṇa present themselves as servants to support a righteous, restorative act.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker reports an exhortation to Pārtha (Arjuna) to undertake the Aśvamedha sacrifice with proper rites and gifts, while affirming that the brothers and the valorous Vāsudeva stand ready to execute his commands—signaling coordinated support for a legitimizing royal ritual.