Shloka 10

Dhaumya-varaṇa (Appointment of Dhaumya as Purohita) | धौम्यवरणम्

Devanagari script

यं प्राप्प विजितात्मानं महात्मानं नराधिपा: । इक्ष्वाकवो महीपाला लेभिरे पृथिवीमिमाम्‌,उन्हीं जितात्मा महात्मा वसिष्ठ मुनिको (पुरोहितरूपमें) पाकर इक्ष्वाकुवंशी भूपालोंने (दीर्घपवकालतक) इस (समूची) पृथ्वीपर अधिकार प्राप्त किया था

Transliteration

yaṁ prāpya vijitātmānaṁ mahātmānaṁ narādhipāḥ | ikṣvākavo mahīpālā lebhire pṛthivīm imām ||

Translation

لمّا نال ملوك إكشواكو، سادة الأرض، ذلك الحكيم العظيم فاسيشثا (Vasiṣṭha)—الذي قهر نفسه واكتمل انضباطه—ككاهنٍ ملكيّ، ثبت لهم سلطان السيادة على هذه الأرض بعينها.

Word by Word

यम्whom

प्राप्यhaving obtained

विजितात्मानम्self-controlled (one who has conquered himself)

महात्मानम्the great-souled one

नराधिपाःkings (lords of men)

इक्ष्वाकवःthe Ikshvaku (dynasty members)

महीपालाःearth-protectors, rulers

लेभिरेobtained, gained

पृथिवीम्the earth

इमाम्this

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

Ikṣvāku dynasty (इक्ष्वाकवः)

kings/rulers (नराधिपाः, महीपालाः)

the great-souled self-controlled sage (महात्मा, विजितात्मा) (contextually identified in the provided note as Vasiṣṭha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sovereignty and lasting authority are portrayed as arising from dharmic guidance: rulers prosper when they align with a self-controlled, spiritually eminent counselor (purohita), emphasizing inner discipline and ethical counsel as foundations of legitimate power.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Gandharva states that the Ikṣvāku kings attained dominion over the earth by obtaining a great, self-mastered sage as their priest—implying that the presence of such a purohita enabled stable and righteous rule.