Shloka 10

Adhyāya 62: Sañjaya’s Admonition to Dhṛtarāṣṭra on Rāja-dharma and Consequence

Devanagari script

धर्मात्मा धृतिमान्‌ वीर: सत्यसंधो जितेन्द्रिय: । जनमेजयं सुधन्वानं गयं पूरुं बृहद्रथम्‌

Transliteration

dharmātmā dhṛtimān vīraḥ satyasaṃdho jitendriyaḥ | janamejayaṃ sudhanvānaṃ gayaṃ pūruṃ bṛhadratham

Translation

Nārada said: “He was righteous in spirit, steadfast in resolve, a true hero—firm in his pledge to truth and master of his senses. From him were born/descended Janamejaya, Sudhanvā, Gaya, Pūru, and Bṛhadratha.”

Word by Word

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled

धृतिमान्steadfast, resolute

वीरःhero, brave man

सत्यसंधःtrue to his vow, truthful in resolve

जितेन्द्रियःhaving conquered the senses, self-controlled

जनमेजयम्Janamejaya (proper name)

सुधन्वानम्Sudhanvan (proper name)

गयम्Gaya (proper name)

पूरुम्Puru (proper name)

बृहद्रथम्Brihadratha (proper name; lit. 'having a great chariot')

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Janamejaya

Sudhanvā

Gaya

Pūru

Bṛhadratha

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises an ideal of kingship and character: righteousness (dharma), inner fortitude (dhṛti), truth-commitment (satya-saṃdha), and mastery over the senses (jitendriya). Ethical authority is presented as grounded in self-discipline and fidelity to truth, not merely power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing a noble figure’s virtues and then listing notable successors/descendants—Janamejaya, Sudhanvā, Gaya, Pūru, and Bṛhadratha—thereby situating the story within a lineage framework and highlighting continuity of royal tradition.