Shloka 9
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 58: Yudhiṣṭhira’s dawn rites, royal gifts, and the reception of Kṛṣṇa
भूतं भव्यं भवन्तं वा नाध्यगच्छन्नरोत्तमम् | प्रजापतिने भी अपनी सृष्टिमें भूत, भविष्य और वर्तमान कालके किसी भी दूसरे नरश्रेष्ठ राजाको ऐसा नहीं पाया जो शिबिके कार्यभारको सँभाल सकता हो ।। तस्यासन् विविधा यज्ञा: सर्वकामै: समन्विता:
bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhavantaṃ vā nādhyagacchan narottamam | prajāpatiḥ—na hi sṛṣṭau bhūta-bhaviṣyat-pratyutpanneṣu kāleṣu kaścid anyaḥ narottamaḥ śibikāryabhāraṃ dhārayituṃ samarthaḥ | tasyāsan vividhā yajñāḥ sarvakāmaiḥ samanvitāḥ ||
Nārada said: “In the past, in the future, or even in the present, the Creator (Prajāpati) has not found any other best of men—any king equal to him—who could bear and carry out the burden of Shibi’s charge. For him there were many kinds of sacrifices, complete with every desired offering and benefit.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates the ideal of dharmic kingship: true excellence is measured by the capacity to shoulder difficult public duty (kārya-bhāra) with integrity, so much so that even Prajapati finds no equal across time. Ritual prosperity (many yajñas endowed with desired fruits) is presented as accompanying, not replacing, ethical capability.
Nārada is praising an exemplary ruler associated with Śibi’s charge, declaring that across past, present, and future no other king matches his ability to bear that responsibility; he then notes that this king performed numerous sacrifices furnished with all requisite offerings and desired results.