Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ब्रद्मक्षत्राविरोधेन पूजां च प्राप्रुयामहम्‌ । यथा ममाक्षया कीर्तिर्भिवेच्चापि पुरंदर

Transliteration

brahmakṣatrāvirodhena pūjāṃ ca prāpnuyāmaham | yathā mamākṣayā kīrtir bhavec cāpi puraṃdara ||

Translation

May I attain honor and due reverence without setting the Brahmin and the Kshatriya orders at odds; and, O Purandara, may my fame also become imperishable.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मक्षत्राविरोधेन: by (means of) non-opposition between brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya
• ब्राह्मक्षत्राविरोधेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मक्षत्राविरोध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पूजाम्: honour, worship
• पूजाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्राप्नुयाम्: may I obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: so that, in such a way that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• मम: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• अक्षया: imperishable, undecaying
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कीर्तिः: fame, renown
• कीर्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: may be, might become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पुरंदर: O Purandara (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरंदर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Purandara (Indra)
• Brahmins (Brahma-varṇa)
• Kshatriyas (Kṣatra-varṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds dharma through social concord: true honor and lasting reputation are sought not by provoking rivalry between spiritual authority (brahma) and royal power (kṣatra), but by maintaining their non-conflict and mutual respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a prayerful wish addressed to Purandara (Indra): the speaker seeks reverence and enduring fame while ensuring that Brahmins and Kshatriyas remain without antagonism—an ethical ideal for rulers and public life.