Shloka 9

Kuru's Consecration — Kuru’s Consecration and the Sanctification of Samantapañcaka (Kurukshetra)

Devanagari script

स एव क्षेत्रपालो ऽभूत् पशुपालः स एव हि स सर्वपालकश्चासीत् प्रजापालो महाबलः

Transliteration

sa eva kṣetrapālo 'bhūt paśupālaḥ sa eva hi sa sarvapālakaścāsīt prajāpālo mahābalaḥ

Translation

هو وحده صار حامي الإقليم، وهو حقًّا راعي الماشية أيضًا. وكان حارسًا للجميع، وحاميًا للرعية، ذا قوة عظيمة.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• kṣetra-pālaḥ: protector of the fields
• kṣetra-pālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक) + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: kṣetrasya pālaḥ)

• abhūt: became/was
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person, Singular

• paśu-pālaḥ: protector of cattle
• paśu-pālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक) + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: paśūnām pālaḥ)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle

• hi: for/indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात), causal/emphatic

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• sarva-pālakaḥ: protector of all
• sarva-pālakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Karmadhāraya (sarvaḥ pālakaḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• prajā-pālaḥ: protector of the subjects
• prajā-pālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: prajānām pālaḥ)

• mahā-balaḥ: mighty/very strong
• mahā-balaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective qualifying 'prajāpālaḥ'; Karmadhāraya (mahac ca balaṃ yasya/mahābalaḥ)

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya to Nārada (standard frame)
• but not explicit in provided verses

Key Themes

• Rajadharma
• Protection of land and cattle
• Welfare-state ideal in Purāṇic polity
• Strength in service of dharma

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A ruler’s greatness is measured by comprehensive protection—land, livestock, and people. Strength (bala) is ethically framed as the capacity to safeguard, not dominate.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita: it characterizes the ruler’s dharmic functions within the dynastic narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

The layered titles (kṣetrapāla/paśupāla/sarvapālaka/prajāpāla) present kingship as concentric circles of care—from territory to living beings to the whole polity—echoing Purāṇic ‘maintenance’ (sthiti) as a sacred duty.