Shloka 20

Uttarā-diśā Māhātmya — Suparṇa’s Praise of the Northern Quarter

Suparṇa–Gālava Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

एष ते पकश्िमो मार्गो दिग्द्वारेण प्रकीर्तित: । ब्रूहि गालव गच्छावो बुद्धि: का द्विजसत्तम

Transliteration

eṣa te paścimo mārgo digdvāreṇa prakīrtitaḥ | brūhi gālava gacchāvo buddhiḥ kā dvijasattama ||

Translation

此即我已略为告知于你的西方之路，以方门为标识。如今告诉我吧，迦罗婆（Gālava），诸二生中之最胜者——你意下如何？我二人当向何方而行？

Word by Word

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: for you / your
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• पश्चिमः: western
• पश्चिमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मार्गः: path
• मार्गः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दिग्द्वारेण: by the gate/entrance of the quarter (direction)
• दिग्द्वारेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिग्द्वार
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रकीर्तितः: has been declared / described
• प्रकीर्तितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कीर्त्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गालव: O Galava
• गालव: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गालव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• गच्छावः: we two go / shall we two go
• गच्छावः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Present, First, Dual, Parasmaipada, लट्

• बुद्धिः: thought / intention
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• का: what
• का: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युपर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yūparṇa
• Gālava
• paścima-mārga (western route)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent deliberation after receiving guidance: once a route is explained, the next ethical step is to consult judgment (buddhi) and decide jointly, rather than acting impulsively.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yūparṇa has just outlined the western path for Gālava and then asks him to state his decision—specifically, which direction they should take together from this point.