Shloka 39

Devanagari script

एवं राजोपनिषदं ययाति: स्माह नाहुष: । मनुष्यविषये युक्तो हन्ति शत्रूननुत्तमान्‌

Transliteration

evaṁ rājopaniṣadaṁ yayātiḥ smāha nāhuṣaḥ | manuṣyaviṣaye yukto hanti śatrūn anuttamān |

Translation

Vāmadeva said: “Thus did King Yayāti, the son of Nahūṣa, declare this ‘royal upaniṣad’—this secret counsel of kings—directed to the welfare of humankind. One who remains steadfast in it and acts in accordance with it destroys even the greatest enemies.”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• राजोपनिषदम्: the royal secret teaching/counsel
• राजोपनिषदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजोपनिषद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ययातिः: Yayāti
• ययातिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्म: indeed/just (particle, marking past narration)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म

• आह: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नाहुषः: to Nahusha
• नाहुषः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाहुष
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• मनुष्यविषये: in the sphere of men / regarding human affairs
• मनुष्यविषये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्यविषय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• युक्तः: engaged, devoted, disciplined
• युक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हन्ति: kills/destroys
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Present, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शत्रून्: enemies
• शत्रून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अनुत्तमान्: unsurpassed, very great
• अनुत्तमान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāmadeva
• Yayāti
• Nahūṣa
• rājopaniṣad (royal counsel/secret teaching)
• śatru (enemies)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises a ‘royal secret teaching’ attributed to King Yayāti as being oriented toward human welfare; steadfast adherence to this counsel empowers a ruler (or practitioner of rājadharma) to overcome even formidable enemies—suggesting that ethical, well-aligned governance and disciplined conduct are themselves sources of strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāmadeva, as speaker, cites an authoritative precedent: King Yayāti (son of Nahūṣa) is said to have proclaimed this rājopaniṣad. The verse functions as a concluding commendation of that instruction, asserting its practical efficacy for those who follow it.