Shloka 22

Āśramadharma and the Marks of the Muni

Yayāti–Aṣṭaka Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

कथं ज्येष्ठानतिक्रम्प कनीयान्‌ राज्यमर्हति । एतत्‌ सम्बोधयामस्त्वां धर्म त्वं प्रतिपालय,'ज्येष्ठ पुत्रोंका उल्लंघन करके छोटा पुत्र राज्यका अधिकारी कैसे हो सकता है? हम आपको इस बातका स्मरण दिला रहे हैं। आप धर्मका पालन कीजिये”

Transliteration

kathaṁ jyeṣṭhān atikramya kanīyān rājyam arhati | etat sambodhayāmas tvāṁ dharma tvaṁ pratipālaya ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Wie kann der jüngere Sohn Anspruch auf das Reich haben, indem er die älteren Söhne übergeht? Eben daran erinnern wir dich — wahre das Dharma und handle nach der rechtmäßigen Ordnung.“

Word by Word

कथम्how?

ज्येष्ठान्elders / elder (sons)

अतिक्रम्यhaving overstepped / bypassing

कनीयान्the younger (son)

राज्यम्kingdom

अर्हतिdeserves / is entitled to

एतत्this (matter)

सम्बोधयामःwe remind / we make (you) understand

त्वाम्you

धर्मम्dharma / righteousness

त्वम्you

प्रतिपालयprotect / पालन करो

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses dharma in political order: legitimate rule should not be obtained by violating the rightful precedence of elders; one must uphold moral and customary law in matters of succession.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports an admonition directed at a decision about kingship: the speaker questions how a younger son could claim the kingdom by setting aside elder sons, and urges adherence to dharma.