Shloka 4

श्रेयो-धर्मकर्मविचारः

Inquiry into Śreyas, Dharma, and Karma

Devanagari script

स पूजितोअसुरेन्द्रेण मुनिनोशनसा तथा । निषसादासने राजन महाहें मुनिपुड्रव:,राजन! असुरराज वृत्र और मुनि शुक्राचार्यके द्वारा पूजित हो मुनिवर सनत्कुमार एक बहुमूल्य सिंहासनपर विराजमान हुए

Transliteration

sa pūjito 'surendreṇa muninā uśanasā tathā | niṣasādāsane rājan mahārhe munipuṅgavaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: So geehrt vom Herrn der Asuras und ebenso vom Weisen Uśanas (Śukrācārya), nahm der vornehmste der Rishis, o König, auf einem überaus kostbaren Thron Platz.

Word by Word

सःhe (that one)

पूजितःhonoured, worshipped

असुरेन्द्रेणby the lord of the Asuras

मुनिनाby the sage

उशनसाby Uśanas (Śukrācārya)

तथाand also, likewise

निषसादsat down

आसनेon the seat

राजन्O king

महाहेon the great (seat)

मुनिपुंगवःthe best of sages

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

King (listener, traditionally Yudhishthira)

Asurendra (lord of the Asuras)

Uśanas (Śukrācārya)

Munipuṅgava (the foremost sage; contextually Sanatkumāra)

Precious throne/seat (āsana)

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 highlights the dharmic principle that true wisdom deserves honor regardless of political power or faction. Even rulers (including Asura kings) uphold ethical order by revering sages and giving them due respect and a worthy seat.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being respectfully received by the Asura king and by the sage Uśanas (Śukrācārya), the foremost sage (understood in context as Sanatkumāra) sits upon an exceedingly precious throne, setting the stage for instruction or counsel.