Shloka 22

उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy

Opening

Devanagari script

कस्मिन्‌ धर्मे मया स्थेयं प्रजा: संरक्षता मुने

Transliteration

kasmin dharme mayā stheyaṃ prajāḥ saṃrakṣatā mune

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O sage, while I am charged with protecting the people, in what form of dharma should I stand firm?”

Word by Word

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• धर्मे: in (what) dharma/duty
• धर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• स्थेयम्: should be stood/should I abide (i.e., should I follow)
• स्थेयम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्/यत् sense), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, Passive (obligation)

• प्रजाः: subjects/people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• संरक्षता: by (me) protecting
• संरक्षता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + रक्ष्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• muni (sage)
• prajāḥ (the subjects/people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a central question of rājadharma: a ruler’s legitimacy rests on protecting the people, but protection must be guided by the right dharma—ethical restraint, justice, and responsibility rather than mere power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a query addressed to a sage: the speaker, responsible for safeguarding the populace, asks which dharma he should adhere to—setting up instruction on proper conduct and governance.