Shloka 9

Śakuntalā’s Satya-Discourse and the Recognition of Bharata (शकुन्तला–सत्योपदेशः; भरतप्रतिग्रहः)

Devanagari script

ददृशुस्तं स्त्रियस्तत्र शूरमात्मयशस्करम्‌ | शक्रोपमममित्रघ्नं परवारणवारणम्‌,महाराज दुष्यन्तके यात्रा करते समय योद्धाओंके सिंहनाद, शंख और नगाड़ोंकी आवाज, रथके पहियोंकी घरघराहट, बड़े-बड़े गजराजोंकी चिग्घाड़, घोड़ोंकी हिनहिनाहट, नाना प्रकारके आयुध तथा भाँति-भाँतिके वेष धारण करनेवाले योद्धाओंद्वारा की हुई गर्जना और ताल ठोंकनेकी आवाजोंसे चारों ओर भारी कोलाहल मच गया था। महलके श्रेष्ठ शिखरपर बैठी हुई स्त्रियाँ उत्तम राजोचित शोभासे सम्पन्न शूरवीर दुष्यन्तको देख रही थीं। वे अपने यशको बढ़ानेवाले, इन्द्रके समान पराक्रमी और शत्रुओंका नाश करनेवाले थे। शत्रुरूपी मतवाले हाथीको रोकनेके लिये उनमें सिंहके समान शक्ति थी

Transliteration

dadṛśus taṃ striyas tatra śūram ātma-yaśaskaram | śakropamam amitraghnaṃ paravāraṇa-vāraṇam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: There the women beheld that hero—one who enhanced his own renown—Indra-like in prowess, a slayer of foes, and a check upon the enemy’s maddened elephants. The scene underscores royal charisma and martial virtue: the king’s visible strength and discipline are presented as a protective force that restrains hostile violence and upholds the order expected of righteous kingship.

Word by Word

ददृशुःthey saw

तम्him

स्त्रियःwomen

तत्रthere

शूरम्the hero/brave man

आत्मयशस्करम्increasing his own fame

शक्रोपमम्like Śakra (Indra)

अमित्रघ्नम्slayer of enemies

परवारणवारणम्a restrainer of hostile elephants (i.e., of enemy forces)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

women (striyaḥ)

Śakra/Indra

enemies (amitra)

enemy elephants (para-vāraṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ideal of royal dharma: a king’s fame is not mere display but is grounded in protective strength—power that restrains hostile forces (symbolized by enemy elephants) and secures social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

From an elevated vantage point, women watch the celebrated hero-king, described as Indra-like and enemy-slaying, whose presence is portrayed as capable of checking even the fiercest enemy forces.