Shloka 17

Rājapurohita-lakṣaṇa and Purūravas–Vāyu Saṃvāda

Varṇa, Sovereignty, and Abhaya-dāna

Devanagari script

शुश्रूषुरनहंवादी क्षत्रधर्मव्रते स्थित: । तावता सत्कृतः प्राज्ञश्चिरं यशसि तिष्ठति

Transliteration

śuśrūṣur anahaṃvādī kṣatradharmavrate sthitaḥ | tāvatā satkṛtaḥ prājñaś ciraṃ yaśasi tiṣṭhati ||

Translation

Wer im Dienst aufmerksam ist, frei von prahlerischer Rede und fest gegründet in der gelobten Zucht des Kṣatriya-Dharma—durch eben dieses Verhalten, wenn er von den Guten geehrt wird, steht der Weise lange Zeit in unvergänglichem Ruhm.

Word by Word

• शुश्रूषुः: obedient; desirous of serving
• शुश्रूषुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुश्रूषु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √श्रु + सन्/इच्छार्थे उ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनहंवादी: not self-boasting; not speaking 'I, I'
• अनहंवादी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनहंवादी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षत्रधर्मव्रते: in the vow/observance of kshatriya-duty
• क्षत्रधर्मव्रते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्मव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्थितः: standing; abiding; established
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (√स्था) + क्त (स्थित)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तावता: by that much; thereby; to that extent
• तावता: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• सत्कृतः: honoured; well-treated
• सत्कृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (√कृ) + क्त (कृत) with उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद सत्-
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राज्ञः: the wise man
• प्राज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)

• यशसि: in fame; in glory
• यशसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तिष्ठति: stands; remains
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (√स्था)
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

ऐल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aila (speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Enduring honor and fame arise from disciplined duty (kṣatriya-dharma), service-mindedness, and humility—especially the refusal to indulge in self-centered, boastful speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Aila states that a warrior who serves attentively, speaks without ego, and remains steady in his vowed duty becomes respected by the virtuous and gains lasting renown.