Shloka 13

Ajagara-vrata (The ‘Python’ Discipline): Prahrāda Questions a Wandering Sage

Devanagari script

बस्यस्तेषां तु संन्यस्ता राक्षसेन्द्रस्य शासनात्‌ । भूमौ वरकुशा: स्तीर्णा: प्रेष्यर्भरतसत्तम,भरतश्रेष्ठ! राक्षसराजकी आज्ञासे सेवकोंने जमीनपर उनके लिये कुशके सुन्दर आसन बिछा दिये

Transliteration

āsya-sthāneṣāṁ tu saṁnyastā rākṣasendrasya śāsanāt | bhūmau vara-kuśāḥ stīrṇāḥ preṣyaiḥ bharata-sattama ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“婆罗多族中最卓越者啊，奉罗刹之主之命，侍从们在地上为他们铺设了精美的库沙草座席。”

Word by Word

• आसनानि: seats
• आसनानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• तेषाम्: for them / of them
• तेषाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• संन्यस्तानि: placed/laid down
• Type: Verb
• Root: सं-न्यस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त), Passive (participial)

• राक्षसेन्द्रस्य: of the lord of rakshasas
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शासनात्: from/according to the command
• शासनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• वरकुशाः: excellent kusha-grass (bundles)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरकुश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्तीर्णाः: spread out
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तॄ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त), Passive (participial)

• प्रेष्यैः: by the servants
• प्रेष्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेष्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• भरतसत्तम: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bharata-sattama (Yudhiṣṭhira, implied addressee)
• Rākṣasendra (a Rākṣasa king)
• preṣyāḥ (attendants/servants)
• kuśa grass seats
• bhūmi (ground)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a setting associated with fear or violence (a Rākṣasa realm), dharma can appear as orderly conduct: servants obey the ruler’s command and provide proper seating, reflecting the ethical ideal of regulated service and hospitality.

What is happening in the narrative?

By the Rākṣasa king’s order, attendants prepare the ground by spreading fine kuśa grass as seats for the arriving persons, indicating a formal reception and adherence to customary ritual etiquette.