Shloka 56

Devanagari script

महाभिषश्न विख्यातो निमिराजा तथाष्टक: । आयु: क्षुपश्च राजर्षि: कक्षेयुश्न नराधिप:

Transliteration

mahābhiṣaś ca vikhyāto nimi-rājā tathāṣṭakaḥ | āyuḥ kṣupaś ca rājarṣiḥ kakṣeyuś ca narādhipaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Berühmt sind auch König Mahābhiṣa, König Nimi und Aṣṭaka; ebenso Āyu, der königliche Rishi Kṣupa und der Herrscher Kakṣeyu.“ In diesem Abschnitt rezitiert Bhīṣma eine überlieferte Reihe vorbildlicher Könige und königlicher Seher, deren Namen als glückverheißend und sittlich erhebend gelten—ein Gedenken, das den Dharma durch Bewunderung gerechten Regierens und durch Selbstzucht festigt.

Word by Word

• महाभिषः: Mahābhiṣa (a king)
• महाभिषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• विख्यातः: renowned, famous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विख्यात (कृदन्त; वि-√ख्या + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निमिराजा: King Nimi
• निमिराजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमिराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अष्टकः: Aṣṭaka (a king/sage)
• अष्टकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आयुः: Āyu (a king)
• आयुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षुपः: Kṣupa (a royal sage)
• क्षुपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• राजर्षिः: royal sage
• राजर्षिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कक्षेयुः: Kakṣeyu (a king)
• कक्षेयुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कक्षेयु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नराधिपः: lord of men, king
• नराधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mahābhiṣa
• Nimi
• Aṣṭaka
• Āyu
• Kṣupa
• Kakṣeyu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports the dharmic practice of honoring exemplary rulers and royal sages: remembering their names and fame is presented as morally uplifting, encouraging ideals of righteous governance, self-restraint, and merit-bearing remembrance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma continues a catalog of celebrated kings and rājarṣis, naming Mahābhiṣa, Nimi, Aṣṭaka, Āyu, Kṣupa, and Kakṣeyu as part of a longer recitation of worthy rulers whose remembrance is praised.