Shloka 51

Prāyaścitta and Contextual Non-Culpability (प्रायश्चित्त-निमित्त-अदोषवाद)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तो भगवता धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तेन प्रत्युवाच तपोधनम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca evam ukto bhagavatā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | cintayitvā muhūrtena pratyuvāca tapodhanam ||

Translation

毗舍波衍那说道：被那位可敬的圣者如此开示后，持守达摩的尤提施提罗王沉思片刻，随即对那“苦行之宝”——毗耶娑——如此答曰。

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: having been spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवता: by the Blessed one (Veda-Vyasa)
• भगवता: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• धर्मराजः: the king of dharma (Dharmaraja)
• धर्मराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चिन्तयित्वा: having reflected
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage)

• मुहूर्तेन: for a moment / in a short while
• मुहूर्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada, प्रति-उप

• तपोधनम्: the ascetic rich in austerity (Vyasa)
• तपोधनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic mode of response: before speaking, a righteous person pauses to reflect. Ethical speech is portrayed as deliberate and guided by reverence for wise counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being addressed by the venerable sage (Vyāsa), Yudhiṣṭhira thinks briefly and then begins his reply. The narrator Vaiśampāyana marks the transition from instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira’s considered response.