Shloka 27

Devanagari script

पीड्यन्ते ते प्रजा: सर्वा व्याधिभिर्भुशदारुणै: । अल्पावशिष्टा गाड़ेय ता: परित्रातुमहसि,गंगानन्दन! आपकी सारी प्रजा अत्यन्त भयंकर रोगोंसे पीड़ित है। प्रजाओंमेंसे बहुत थोड़े लोग जीवित बचे हैं। अतः आप उन सबकी रक्षा करें

Transliteration

pīḍyante te prajāḥ sarvā vyādhibhir bhūśadāruṇaiḥ | alpāvaśiṣṭā gāḍeya tāḥ paritrātum arhasi, gaṅgānandana |

Translation

Vāyu said: “All your subjects are being afflicted by grievous and terrifying diseases. Only a few remain alive, O Gāṅgeya, son of the Gaṅgā. Therefore it is your duty to protect and rescue them all.”

Word by Word

पीड्यन्तेare afflicted/tormented

तेthey/those

प्रजाःsubjects/people

सर्वाःall

व्याधिभिःby diseases

भृशदारुणैःvery terrible

अल्पावशिष्टाःfew remaining

गाङ्गेयO son of Ganga (Bhishma)

ताःthem (those people)

परित्रातुम्to protect/save

अर्हसिyou ought/are fit

गङ्गानन्दनO delight/son of Ganga

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva

Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya, Gaṅgānandana)

Gaṅgā

prajāḥ (the subjects/people)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores rājadharma: those with authority and moral stature must actively protect the people, especially in times of widespread suffering. Duty is framed not as optional charity but as an obligation (arhasi) grounded in compassion and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Bhīṣma (the son of Gaṅgā), reporting that the populace is devastated by severe diseases and that only a small number survive. He urges Bhīṣma to intervene and provide protection and relief to the remaining subjects.