Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अप्रमादस्त्वया कार्य: सर्वथा कुरुनन्दन | अष्टाड़े राजशार्दूल राज्ये धर्मपुरस्कृते,“कुरुनन्दन! राजसिंह! इस आठ अंगोंवाले राज्यमें तुम सदा धर्मको ही आगे रखना और इसके संरक्षण और संचालनमें कभी किसी तरह भी प्रमाद न करना

Transliteration

apramādastvayā kāryaḥ sarvathā kurunandana | aṣṭāṅge rājasārddūla rājye dharmapuraskṛte ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O joy of the Kurus, you must be vigilant in every way. O tiger among kings, in this eight-limbed kingdom—where dharma is set foremost—always place righteousness at the front, and never be negligent in its protection and governance.”

Word by Word

अप्रमादःnon-negligence, vigilance

त्वयाby you

कार्यःto be done, should be done

सर्वथाin every way, always

कुरुनन्दनO delight of the Kurus

अष्टाङ्गेin the eight-limbed (state/kingdom)

राजशार्दूलO tiger among kings

राज्येin the kingdom/state

धर्मपुरस्कृतेwith dharma placed foremost

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kurunandana

Rājasārddūla

Rājya (kingdom)

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?

A ruler must practice constant apramāda (vigilant, non-negligent attention) and keep dharma as the foremost principle in administering and safeguarding the kingdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a Kuru ruler is being admonished with royal epithets to govern an ‘eight-part’ polity responsibly—prioritizing dharma and avoiding any lapse in protection and administration.