Shloka 6

Devanagari script

यथास्मान्‌ सुरराट्‌ शक्रो भयेभ्य: पाति सर्वदा

Transliteration

yathāsmān surarāṭ śakro bhayebhyaḥ pāti sarvadā

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Just as Śakra, the sovereign of the gods, always protects us from dangers.”

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: common, accusative, plural

• सुरराट्: the king of the gods
• सुरराट्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरराट्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भयेभ्यः: from fears
• भयेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: neuter, ablative, plural

• पाति: protects
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (पालने)
• Form: present (laṭ), third, singular, parasmaipada

• सर्वदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śakra (Indra)
• Devas (gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse invokes Indra (Śakra) as a paradigm of steadfast protection: rightful sovereignty is shown not merely by power but by continual guardianship—removing fear and ensuring safety for those under one’s care.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana frames a comparison: as Indra, lord of the gods, consistently shields his own from dangers, so too protection is being sought or affirmed in the present wartime setting of the Śalya Parva.