Sutra 14

Devanagari script

लिच्छिविकवृजिकमल्लकमद्रककुकुरकुरुपाञ्चालादयो राजशब्दोपजीविनः ॥ कZ_११.१.०५ ॥

Transliteration

licchivi-kavṛjika-mallaka-madraka-kukura-kuru-pāñcālādayo rāja-śabdopajīvinaḥ

Translation

The Licchavis, Kavṛjikas, Mallakas, Madrakas, Kukuras, Kurus, Pāñcālas and the like subsist on the title and standing of ‘king’—i.e., on shared elite sovereignty.

Word by Word

• लिच्छिविक-वृजिक-मल्लक-मद्रक-कुकुर-कुरु-पाञ्चाल-आदयः: The Licchivikas, Vṛjikas, Mallakas, Madrakas, Kukuras, Kurus, Pāñcālas, and others
• Type: Noun (proper nouns; collective)
• Root: लिच्छिविक/वृजिक/मल्लक/मद्रक/कुकुर/कुरु/पाञ्चाल + आदि
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; ‘आदयः’ = ‘and others’; whole compound functions as a plural subject-list of janapadas/gaṇas

• राज-शब्द-उपजीविनः: are those who subsist on (i.e., derive status/legitimacy from) the word/title ‘king’
• Type: Noun (agent noun)
• Root: राज + शब्द + उप-जीव्
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; उपजीविन्-प्रातिपदिकम् (one who lives by/depends on)

Entities Mentioned

• Licchavi
• Kavṛjika
• Mallaka
• Madraka
• Kukura
• Kuru
• Pāñcāla

More Details

FAQs

What does 'rāja-śabda-upajīvin' imply politically?

That political authority and benefits are tied to collectively held royal rank—many share what a single monarch would claim, making status competition a key pressure point.