Shloka 30

राजधर्मस्य नवनीतम्—रक्षा, दण्ड, चार, उत्थान

Rājadharma’s ‘Essence’: Protection, Punishment, Intelligence, and Royal Diligence

Devanagari script

दृषद्वतीं चाप्यवगाहा सुव्रता: कृतोदकार्था: कृतजप्यमड़ला: । उपास्य संध्यां विधिवत्‌ परंतपा- सतत: पुरं ते विविशुर्गजाह्दयम्‌

Transliteration

dṛṣadvatīṃ cāpy avagāhya suvratāḥ kṛtodakārthāḥ kṛtajapyamaṅgalāḥ | upāsya sandhyāṃ vidhivat parantapāḥ satataḥ puraṃ te viviśur gajāhvayam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having bathed in the Dṛṣadvatī River, those heroic men—steadfast in their vows and tormentors of foes—performed the prescribed rites of water-offering, recitation, and other auspicious observances. After duly worshipping the twilight (sandhyā) according to rule, they then proceeded continuously to the city called Gajāhvaya (Hastināpura).

Word by Word

• दृषद्वतीम्: the Drishadvati (river)
• दृषद्वतीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृषद्वती (नदी-नाम)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अवगाह्य: having bathed/immersed (in)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-गाह्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• सुव्रताः: of good vows; well-disciplined
• सुव्रताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कृतोदकार्थाः: having performed the water-rite (tarpana/ablutions)
• कृतोदकार्थाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-उदक-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कृतजप्यमङ्गलाः: having done auspicious acts such as japa (recitation)
• कृतजप्यमङ्गलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-जप्य-मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उपास्य: having worshipped/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• सन्ध्याम्: the twilight worship (sandhya)
• सन्ध्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विधिवत्: according to rule; duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• परंतपाः: foe-scorchers; tormentors of enemies
• परंतपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सततः: then/thereupon; continuously (contextually: thereafter)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)

• पुरम्: the city
• पुरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विविशुः: entered; went into
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-विश्
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• गजाह्वयम्: Gajahvaya (Hastinapura)
• गजाह्वयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजाह्वय (प्रातिपदिक; हस्तिनापुर-पर्याय)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dṛṣadvatī River
• Sandhyā (twilight rite)
• Gajāhvaya (Hastināpura)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even powerful warriors are shown grounding their conduct in dharma through purification, vow-keeping, and properly performed daily rites (sandhyā, water-offerings, japa), suggesting that strength is to be disciplined by religious and ethical observance.

What is happening in the narrative?

After bathing in the Dṛṣadvatī and completing prescribed ritual acts, the group of heroes performs sandhyā worship and then travels on to Gajāhvaya—Hastināpura.