Shloka 15

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Sarvadamana’s Childhood and Śakuntalā’s Claim at Court

Devanagari script

भूयो धर्मपरैभविर्मुदितं जनमादिशत्‌,वे समुद्रके समान अक्षोभ्य और पृथ्वीके समान सहनशील थे। महाराज दुष्यन्तका सर्वत्र सम्मान था। उनके नगर तथा राष्ट्रके लोग सदा प्रसन्न रहते थे। वे अत्यन्त धर्मयुक्त भावनासे सदा प्रसन्न रहनेवाली प्रजाका शासन करते थे

Transliteration

Bhūyo dharmaparair muditaṁ janam ādiśat; sa samudravat samānaḥ akṣobhyaḥ pṛthivīvat sahanaśīlaḥ. Mahārāja Duṣyantasya sarvatra sammānaḥ āsīt. Tasya nagaraṁ ca rāṣṭraṁ ca sadā pramuditam āsīt. Sa atyanta-dharmayukta-bhāvanayā sadā pramuditāṁ prajāṁ pālayām āsa.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Again he governed a people devoted to dharma, keeping them content. Like the ocean he was unshakable, and like the earth he was forbearing. King Duṣyanta was honored everywhere. The inhabitants of his city and realm remained continually cheerful. With a deeply righteous disposition, he ruled a populace that was steady in contentment and aligned with dharma.

Word by Word

• भूयः: again; moreover; further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्
• Form: Avyaya (comparative/adverbial)

• धर्मपरैः: by/with the righteous (those devoted to dharma)
• धर्मपरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मपर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभविः: you were; you became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 2nd person singular (parasmaipada) / irregular epic form; intended sense: 'you were/you became'

• मुदितम्: gladdened; joyful
• मुदितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular (agreeing with जनम्)

• जनम्: people; populace
• जनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आदिशत्: commanded; instructed; ruled
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√दिश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Duṣyanta
• samudra (ocean)
• pṛthivī (earth)
• nagara (city)
• rāṣṭra (realm/kingdom)
• prajā (subjects)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical model of kingship: a ruler grounded in dharma maintains public happiness through steadiness (unshakable like the ocean) and patience (forbearing like the earth). Honor and social contentment arise from inner righteousness and protective governance of the prajā.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes King Duṣyanta’s rule: he governs a dharma-oriented populace, is widely respected, and keeps both city and kingdom consistently prosperous and cheerful through his righteous temperament and protective administration.