Shloka 89

Devanagari script

विरजास्तु महाभाग: प्रभुत्वं भुवि नैच्छत । न्यासायैवाभवद्‌ बुद्धि: प्रणीता तस्य पाण्डव,पाण्डुनन्दन! महाभाग विरजाने पृथ्वीपर राजा होनेकी इच्छा नहीं की। उनकी बुद्धिने संन्यास लेनेका ही निश्चय किया

Transliteration

virajāstu mahābhāgaḥ prabhutvaṁ bhuvi naicchata | nyāsāyaivābhavad buddhiḥ praṇītā tasya pāṇḍava ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: The noble Virajā did not desire sovereignty on the earth. His mind was firmly directed toward renunciation alone—choosing the path of withdrawal from power rather than the pursuit of rule.

Word by Word

• विरजः: Viraja (proper name)
• विरजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• महाभागः: fortunate, noble
• महाभागः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभुत्वम्: sovereignty, lordship
• प्रभुत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि-सम्बद्ध)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ऐच्छत: desired, wished
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न्यासाय: for renunciation (sannyāsa)
• न्यासाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• एव: only/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभवत्: became, was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बुद्धिः: intention, resolve, mind
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रणीता: led/impelled, directed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नी (धातु) + क्त (प्रणीता)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पाण्डव: O Pāṇḍava
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पाण्डुनन्दन: O son of Pāṇḍu
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Virajā
• Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True greatness may lie in refusing worldly power when it conflicts with one’s higher aim; Virajā exemplifies vairāgya (detachment) by choosing nyāsa (renunciation) over earthly sovereignty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing Yudhiṣṭhira in Śānti Parva, cites Virajā as an example: though capable of ruling, he did not want kingship and instead resolved to take up renunciation.