Shloka 35

Rathaghoṣa–Saṃjñāna: Damayantī’s Inference and the Dispatch of the Envoy (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 71)

Devanagari script

ऋतुपर्णश्व राजेन्द्रो बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम्‌ | चिन्तयन्‌ मुमुदे राजा सहवाष्णेयसारथि:,महाराज ऋतुपर्ण भी बाहुकके अश्वसंचालन-विषयक ज्ञानपर विचार करके वार्ष्णेय सारथिके साथ बहुत प्रसन्न हुए

Transliteration

ṛtuparṇaś ca rājendro bāhukasya hayajñatām | cintayan mumude rājā saha vārṣṇeyasārathiḥ ||

Translation

律图帕尔那王，诸王之翘楚，思及婆呼迦识马御马之精妙，便与瓦尔什涅耶御者同在，心中大悦。

Word by Word

• ऋतुपर्णः: R̥tuparṇa
• ऋतुपर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतुपर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• राजेन्द्रः: king of kings, great king
• राजेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बाहुकस्य: of Bāhuka
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहुक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• हयज्ञताम्: knowledge/skill regarding horses (horsemanship)
• हयज्ञताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयज्ञता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• चिन्तयन्: thinking/considering
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मुमुदे: rejoiced, was delighted
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• वार्ष्णेयसारथिः: the Vārṣṇeya charioteer (Krishna as charioteer)
• वार्ष्णेयसारथिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेयसारथि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

ऋचुपर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ṛtuparṇa
• Bāhuka
• Vārṣṇeya (charioteer)
• horses (haya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A discerning ruler values and acknowledges genuine competence. Ethical leadership includes recognizing merit in others without prejudice, and taking joy in excellence that can serve righteous aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ṛtuparṇa observes and contemplates Bāhuka’s remarkable mastery of horses and driving. Impressed, he becomes pleased, traveling with his Vārṣṇeya charioteer—an episode within the Nala narrative where Nala, in disguise as Bāhuka, reveals exceptional skill.