Shloka 17

Devanagari script

पौराण: श्रूयते राजन्‌ राजा हरिहयोपम: । श्वेतकिर्नाम विख्यातों बलविक्रमसंयुत:,राजन! सुना जाता है, प्राचीनकालमें इन्द्रके समान बल और पराक्रमसे सम्पन्न श्वेतकि नामके एक राजा थे

Transliteration

paurāṇaḥ śrūyate rājan rājā harihayopamaḥ | śvetakir nāma vikhyāto balavikrama-saṁyutaḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: «أيها الملك، تُروى في الأخبار القديمة سيرةُ ملكٍ مشهور يُدعى شْوِتَكي، موفورِ القوة والبأس، يُشبَّه بآلِ هاريهايا».

Word by Word

पौराणःancient, of olden times

श्रूयतेis heard / is said

राजन्O king

राजाa king

हरिहयोपमःcomparable to (Indra) Harihayas

श्वेतकिःŚvetaki (proper name)

नामby name / named

विख्यातःrenowned, famous

बलविक्रमसंयुतःendowed with strength and valor

राजन्O king

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śvetaki

Harihayas

King (listener addressed as rājan)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames exemplary kingship through inherited tradition: a ruler’s worth is measured by recognized virtues—strength and valor—while being situated within respected lineages, underscoring how ethical and political ideals are preserved and transmitted by śruti-like report (“śrūyate”).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana introduces an ancient account by naming a celebrated king, Śvetaki, describing him as famed and endowed with power and heroism, and likening him to the illustrious Harihaya stock—setting the stage for the episode that follows.