Shloka 23

ऋतुपर्णस्य विदर्भयात्रा-निश्चयः तथा बाहुकस्य हयपरिक्षा (Ṛtuparṇa’s resolve to go to Vidarbha and Bāhuka’s examination of horses)

Devanagari script

प्रास्थापयद्‌ राजमाता श्रीमतीं नरवाहिना । यानेन भरतश्रेष्ठ स्वन्नपानपरिच्छदाम्‌,“माँ! यदि तुम मेरा कुछ भी प्रिय करना चाहती हो तो मेरे लिये शीघ्र किसी सवारीकी व्यवस्था कर दो। मैं विदर्भदेश जाना चाहती हूँ।” राजन! तब “बहुत अच्छा” कहकर दमयन्तीकी मौसीने प्रसन्नतापूर्वक अपने पुत्रकी राय लेकर सुन्दरी दमयन्तीको पालकीपर बिठाकर विदा किया। उसकी रक्षाके लिये बहुत बड़ी सेना दे दी। भरतश्रेष्ठ! राजमाताने दमयन्तीके साथ खाने-पीनेकी तथा अन्य आवश्यक सामग्रियोंकी अच्छी व्यवस्था कर दी

Transliteration

prāsthāpayad rājamātā śrīmatīṃ naravāhinā | yānena bharataśreṣṭha svannapānaparicchadām ||

Translation

由提湿陀罗说道：那位富贵的王太后遣她启程，随以强壮众人之护卫。噢，婆罗多族之最胜者，她乘车而行，自备饮食与诸般所需器用，周全无缺；由此护其安危，使其旅途得当照料。

Word by Word

प्रास्थापयत्sent forth / dispatched

राजमाताthe king’s mother (queen-mother)

श्रीमतीम्the illustrious lady (Damayantī)

नरवाहिनाby a palanquin (lit. man-carried conveyance)

यानेनby a vehicle / conveyance

भरतश्रेष्ठO best of the Bharatas

स्वन्नपानपरिच्छदाम्provided with her own food, drink, and equipment/necessaries

Speaker

युदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

rājamātā (queen-mother)

Bharata (dynastic epithet)

yāna (conveyance/vehicle)

naravāhinī (male escort/guard)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights royal dharma expressed as responsible care: when someone must travel, especially a vulnerable person, proper protection (escort) and adequate provisions are ethical obligations of guardians and rulers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes how the queen-mother arranges a conveyance, an escort of men, and full supplies of food, drink, and necessities to send the lady safely on her journey.