Shloka 11

Vidura’s Message to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Authorization for Dāna and Public Welfare (विदुरवाक्यम्—दानानुज्ञा)

Devanagari script

तथा पृषथ्रो राजा55सीद्‌ राजन्‌ वज्रधरोपम: । स चापि तपसा लेभे नाकपृष्ठमितो गत:

Transliteration

tathā pṛṣadhro rājāsīd rājan vajradharopamaḥ | sa cāpi tapasā lebhe nākapṛṣṭham ito gataḥ ||

Translation

হে রাজন, তদ্রূপ রাজা পৃষধ্র বজ্রধারী ইন্দ্রের ন্যায় পরাক্রমশালী ছিলেন। তিনিও তপস্যাবলে এ লোক ত্যাগ করে নাকপৃষ্ঠ (স্বর্গ) লাভ করেছিলেন।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• पृषध्रः: Pṛṣadhra (name of a king)
• पृषध्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृषध्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आसीत्: was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वज्रधर-उपमः: comparable to the wielder of the thunderbolt (Indra-like)
• वज्रधर-उपमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्रधर-उपम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• तपसा: by austerity, through penance
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• लेभे: obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• नाकपृष्ठम्: the surface/realm of heaven (svarga)
• नाकपृष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाकपृष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इतः: from here, from this world
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस्

• गतः: gone, having departed
• गतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Pṛṣadhra
• Indra (Vajradhara)
• Svarga (Nākapṛṣṭha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly power is not the final measure of a ruler; disciplined austerity (tapas) and inner merit can lead to higher spiritual reward, here expressed as attainment of heaven.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada continues listing exemplary kings: he cites King Pṛṣadhra, praised as Indra-like in valor, and states that through tapas he attained the heavenly realm after leaving this world.