Shloka 13

Devanagari script

देवतान्यर्चयित्वा हि ब्राह्मणांश्व कुरूद्वह आनृण्यं याति धर्मस्य लोकेन च समर्च्यते,कुरुकुलभूषण! देवताओं और ब्राह्मणोंका पूजन करके राजा धर्मके ऋणसे मुक्त होता है और सारा जगत्‌ उसका सम्मान करता है

Transliteration

devatāny arcayitvā hi brāhmaṇāṃś ca kurūdvahe | ānṛṇyaṃ yāti dharmasya lokena ca samarcayate ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „O Bester der Kurus: Wenn ein König die Götter gebührend verehrt und die Brahmanen ehrt, wird er frei von der Schuld, die er dem Dharma schuldet; und die ganze Welt erweist ihm dafür Achtung.“

Word by Word

देवतान्the deities

अर्चयित्वाhaving worshipped

हिindeed/for

ब्राह्मणान्the Brahmins

चand

कुरूद्वहO best of the Kurus

आनृण्यंfreedom from debt

यातिattains/goes to

धर्मस्यof dharma

लोकेनby the world

चand

समर्च्यतेis honored/worshipped

कुरुकुलभूषणO ornament of the Kuru lineage

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Kuru (dynasty/lineage)

Devas (gods)

Brahmanas

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?

A ruler sustains dharma by honoring the divine order (devas) and supporting the custodians of sacred learning and conduct (Brahmanas). Such reverence and patronage discharge the king’s moral obligation to dharma and naturally earn public esteem.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous governance, Bhishma addresses a Kuru prince/king and explains a practical principle of rajadharma: worship of the gods and honoring Brahmanas leads to moral ‘freedom from debt’ and widespread respect.