Shloka 55
Adhyaya 7 — Harishchandra Tested by Vishvamitra: The Gift of the Kingdom and the Pandava Curse-Backstory
यत्र त्वं तत्र हि वयं तत्सुखं यत्र वै भवान् ।
नगरं तद्भवान् यत्र स स्वर्गो यत्र नो नृपः ॥
yatra tvaṃ tatra hi vayaṃ tat sukhaṃ yatra vai bhavān | nagaraṃ tad bhavān yatra sa svargo yatra no nṛpaḥ ||
حيثما كنتَ كنّا نحن؛ وحيثما كنتَ فذلك وحده سعادتنا. ذلك الموضع هو المدينة لأنك فيه؛ وذلك الموضع هو السماء لأن ملكَنا فيه.
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FAQs
The verse presents an ethic of kingship in which the king functions as the axis of collective security and well-being: the 'city' and even 'heaven' are experienced where the rightful ruler is present. In Purāṇic political morality, this implies a reciprocal duty—subjects offer loyalty, while the king must protect and uphold dharma so that his presence truly becomes 'sukha' for all.
This verse is best categorized under Vamśānucarita / narrative of rulers and their conduct (often treated within Itihāsa-style royal episodes inside the Purāṇa), rather than Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara. It supports the Purāṇic concern with dharmic governance as part of genealogical and royal narration.
Symbolically, the 'king' can be read as the ordering principle (dharma/buddhi) within the polity or within the person: where that inner ruler is established, there is 'city' (organized life) and 'heaven' (inner harmony). The verse thus admits a second-level reading about the centrality of rightful sovereignty—externally in society and internally in the self.