Shloka 12

Devanagari script

येन याती मखमुखौ दिशाशाविह पादपा: | तेनावस्थातुमिच्छन्ति तं गत्वा राजमी श्वरम्‌

Transliteration

yena yāti makhamukhau diśāśāv iha pādapāḥ | tenāvasthātum icchanti taṃ gatvā rājamiśvaram ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: „In welche Richtung die Opferfeuer und die Bäume hier ihr Antlitz zu wenden scheinen, in eben dieser Richtung wünschen sie zu verweilen. Nachdem sie zu jenem Souverän, dem Herrn der Könige, gelangt sind, begehren sie, dort ihren Stand zu nehmen.“

Word by Word

येनby whom/whereby

यान्तिgo

मखमुखौhaving sacrifice as their face; sacrifice-faced (two)

दिशौtwo directions/quarters

असौthat (he)

इहhere

पादपाःtrees

तेनby him/therefore

अवस्थातुम्to stand still; to remain

इच्छन्तिdesire

तम्him

गत्वाhaving gone (to)

राजम्king

ईश्वरम्lord; ruler

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

rāja-īśvara (a sovereign lord/king)

makha (sacrifice)

pādapāḥ (trees)

diś/āśā (directions/quarters)

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 uses the imagery of orientation—fires and even trees ‘turning’ toward a direction—to suggest that rightful sovereignty and dharmic authority draw beings toward stability and alignment. It implies that when a ruler embodies legitimate order, others naturally seek to stand with him.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing a sign-like movement or inclination: sacrificial elements and the natural world appear to face a particular direction, and accordingly ‘they’ wish to remain there after approaching the rāja-īśvara (sovereign lord). The statement functions as an omen or characterization of the ruler’s magnetic authority within the episode.