Shloka 9
Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint
सोऊहं वागग्रमृष्टानां रसानामवलेहक: । स्वजात्यानधितिष्ठामि नक्षत्राणीव चन्द्रमा:
so ’haṃ vāg-agra-mṛṣṭānāṃ rasānām avalehakaḥ | sva-jātyān adhitiṣṭhāmi nakṣatrāṇīva candramāḥ ||
তেওঁলোকৰ বাণীৰ পৰা উপদেশৰ যি মধুৰ ৰস প্ৰবাহিত হয়, মই সেয়া নিৰন্তৰ আস্বাদন কৰোঁ। সেইবাবেই, নক্ষত্ৰসমূহৰ ওপৰত চন্দ্ৰমা যেন অধিষ্ঠান কৰে, তেনেদৰে মই মোৰ স্বজাতীয়সকলৰ ওপৰত অধিকাৰ স্থাপন কৰি শাসন কৰোঁ।
शम्बर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links legitimate authority with receptivity to wise, refined counsel: one who continually relishes the ‘essence’ of good instruction and cultivated speech becomes fit to preside over others, as the moon naturally presides among the stars.
Śambara is speaking in self-description, explaining why he holds sway over his own people: he constantly imbibes the sweet, refined ‘rasa’ of instructive speech, and uses the moon-over-stars image to justify his leadership.