Shloka 17

यमसभावर्णनम् (Yamasabhā-varṇanam) — Nārada’s Description of Dharmarāja’s Assembly

Devanagari script

कपोतरोमा तृणकः सहदेवार्जुनौ तथा । व्यश्वः साशथ्वः कृशाश्वश्च शशबिन्दुश्च पार्थिव:

Transliteration

kapotaromā tṛṇakaḥ sahadevā'rjunau tathā | vyaśvaḥ sāśathvaḥ kṛśāśvaś ca śaśabinduś ca pārthivaḥ ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: „(Es gab Könige namens) Kapotaromā, Tṛṇaka; ebenso Sahadeva und Arjuna; ferner Vyaśva, Sāśathva, Kṛśāśva und Śaśabindu—jeder ein Herrscher der Erde.“

Word by Word

कपोतरोमाKapotaroman (a king/person named ‘pigeon-haired’)

तृणकःTṛṇaka (proper name)

सहदेवSahadeva

अर्जुनArjuna

तथाand also/likewise

व्यश्वःVyaśva (proper name)

साशथ्वःSāśathva (proper name)

कृशाश्वःKṛśāśva (‘lean-horsed’; proper name)

चand

शशबिन्दुःŚaśabindu (proper name)

चand

पार्थिवःthe king/monarch

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Kapotaromā

Tṛṇaka

Sahadeva

Arjuna

Vyaśva

Sāśathva

Kṛśāśva

Śaśabindu

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse functions as a genealogical/narrative register: it highlights the continuity of royal lineages and the idea that kingship is a recognized social role (pārthiva) tied to responsibility for the earth—an implicit reminder of royal dharma rather than a direct moral injunction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is enumerating names of rulers—Kapotaromā, Tṛṇaka, Sahadeva, Arjuna, Vyaśva, Sāśathva, Kṛśāśva, and Śaśabindu—presenting them as earthly kings within a broader account that catalogs notable figures and lineages.