Shloka 21

राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order

Devanagari script

ततो मनु व्यादिदेश मनुर्नाभिननन्द ता:,तब ब्रह्माजीने मनुको राजा होनेकी आज्ञा दी; परंतु मनुने उन प्रजाओंको स्वीकार नहीं किया

Transliteration

tato manu vyādideśa; manur nābhinananda tāḥ |

Translation

Bhishma said: Thereupon Manu issued his directive; yet Manu did not approve of—nor accept—those beings as his subjects.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereupon/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• मनुम्: Manu (as object)
• मनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यादिदेश: commanded/ordered
• Type: Verb
• Root: आदिश्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• मनुः: Manu (as subject)
• मनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: Negation (avyaya)

• अभिननन्द: approved/accepted/rejoiced at
• Type: Verb
• Root: नन्द्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• ताः: those (f.)
• ताः: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Manu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Authority alone does not make governance righteous; a king must accept responsibility only in alignment with dharma, exercising discernment rather than blind compliance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s discourse, Manu gives an instruction, but he does not approve of or accept certain beings as his subjects, highlighting the ethical dimension of rulership and consent to rule.