Shloka 23

Arjuna’s Account of Tapas and the Kirāta Test; Revelation of Maheśvara and the Grant of the Pāśupata-Astra

Devanagari script

योडसौ सर्वान्‌ महीपालान्‌ धर्मेण वशमानयत्‌ | स शान्तनुर्महातेजा: पितुस्तव पितामह:,पार्थ! जिन्होंने सब राजाओंको धर्मपूर्वक अपने अधीन कर लिया था, वे महातेजस्वी, महापराक्रमी तथा सदाचारपरायण महाराज शान्तनु, जो तुम्हारे पिताके पितामह थे, स्वर्गलोकमें कुरुकुलधुरीण गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुनसे बहुत प्रसन्न रहते हैं

Transliteration

yo 'sau sarvān mahīpālān dharmeṇa vaśam ānayat | sa śāntanur mahātejāḥ pitus tava pitāmahaḥ pārtha |

Translation

Dhanada said: “That mighty and radiant king Śāntanu—your grandfather, O Pārtha—who brought all the rulers of the earth under his sway by the path of dharma.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'yaḥ asau', 'meaning': 'that very one

• he who is well-known'}, {'term': 'sarvān', 'meaning': 'all'}, {'term': 'mahīpālān', 'meaning': 'kings

• protectors of the earth'}, {'term': 'dharmeṇa', 'meaning': 'by dharma

• through righteous means'}, {'term': 'vaśam ānayat', 'meaning': 'brought under control

• made subject'}, {'term': 'śāntanuḥ', 'meaning': 'King Śāntanu (ancestor of the Kuru line)'}, {'term': 'mahātejāḥ', 'meaning': 'of great splendor/energy

• exceedingly radiant'}, {'term': 'pituḥ tava pitāmahaḥ', 'meaning': 'your father’s grandfather (your paternal grandfather)'}, {'term': 'pārtha', 'meaning': 'O son of Pṛthā

Speaker

धनद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhanada (Kubera)
• Śāntanu
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• mahīpālas (kings/rulers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate sovereignty is portrayed as dharma-based: true greatness in rulership lies not merely in conquest, but in bringing others under order through righteous conduct and ethical governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhanada addresses Arjuna and identifies Śāntanu—Arjuna’s ancestor—praising him as a powerful, radiant king who subdued other rulers through dharma, thereby invoking the prestige and moral authority of Arjuna’s lineage.