Shloka 4

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

राजा शत्रुंजयो नाम सौवीरेषु महारथ: । भारद्वाजमुपागम्य पप्रच्छार्थविनिश्चवयम्‌

Transliteration

rājā śatruñjayo nāma sauvīreṣu mahārathaḥ | bhāradvājam upāgamya papracchārtha-viniścayam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Im Land der Sauvīras gab es einen König namens Śatruñjaya, einen großen Wagenkämpfer. Er trat zu Bhāradvāja und fragte ihn, damit dieser mit Entschiedenheit festlege, welcher Weg des Handelns—welche Pflicht—zu befolgen sei.“

Word by Word

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

• शत्रुंजयः: Shatruñjaya (name)
• शत्रुंजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रुंजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: by name / named
• नाम: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सौवीरेषु: among/in the Sauviras (Sauvira country/people)
• सौवीरेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौवीर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भारद्वाजम्: Bharadvāja
• भारद्वाजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारद्वाज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपागम्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral in gerund)

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-छ् (पृच्छ्)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अर्थ-विनिश्चयम्: determination/decision of the matter (duty/purpose)
• अर्थ-विनिश्चयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थविनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śatruñjaya
• Bhāradvāja
• Sauvīra (country/people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should seek clear determination of dharma and practical duty by approaching a qualified sage; ethical governance begins with humble inquiry and decisive understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma introduces an illustrative episode: King Śatruñjaya of Sauvīra goes to the sage Bhāradvāja and asks him for a definitive judgment about what he ought to do.