Shloka 19

ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins

Devanagari script

तत्र तं राजशार्दूलं निवसन्तं महीपतिम्‌ । आगत्य हैहया भूय: पर्यधावन्त भारत

Transliteration

tatra taṃ rājaśārdūlaṃ nivasantaṃ mahīpatim | āgatya haihayā bhūyaḥ paryadhāvanta bhārata ||

Translation

There, O Bharata, the Haihayas came again to the place where that tiger among kings—the sovereign—was residing, and they surrounded him on all sides, pressing in upon him once more.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजशार्दूलम्: the tiger among kings
• राजशार्दूलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजशार्दूल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निवसन्तम्: dwelling, residing
• निवसन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: निवस्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महीपतिम्: the lord of the earth (king)
• महीपतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आगत्य: having come
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)

• हैहयाः: the Haihayas
• हैहयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैहय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भूयः: again, once more
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

• पर्यधावन्: ran around, surrounded, rushed about
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-धाव्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharata (addressee)
• Haihayas
• the king (mahīpati; rājaśārdūla)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the reality that enmity and political aggression can recur; a righteous ruler must remain steady and vigilant, meeting repeated challenges without abandoning dharma or composure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes how the Haihaya people return once again to the place where the king is staying and encircle him, indicating renewed pursuit or attack against the ruler.