Shloka 51

चित्रसेन-समागमः / The Engagement with Citrasena and the Gandharvas

Devanagari script

एतदासीत्‌ तदा राज्ञो यन्महीं पर्यपालयत्‌ । येषां संख्याविधिं चैव प्रदिशामि शूणोमि च,“जिन दिनों महाराज युधिष्छिर इन्द्रप्रस्थमें रहकर इस पृथ्वीका पालन करते थे, उस समय प्रत्येक यात्रामें उनके साथ एक लाख घोड़े और एक लाख हाथी चलते थे। मैं ही उनकी गणना करती, आवश्यक वस्तुएँ देती और उनकी आवश्यकताएँ सुनती थी

Transliteration

etad āsīt tadā rājño yan mahīṁ paryapālayat | yeṣāṁ saṅkhyāvidhiṁ caiva pradiśāmi śṛṇomi ca |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Such was the state of affairs when the king was ruling and protecting the earth. For those (royal retinues and journeys), I both set down the proper reckoning of their numbers and also assign what is needed and hear their requirements.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'etad', 'definition': 'this

• such (a matter/state of affairs)'}, {'term': 'āsīt', 'definition': 'was

• existed'}, {'term': 'tadā', 'definition': 'then

• at that time'}, {'term': 'rājñaḥ', 'definition': 'of the king'}, {'term': 'mahīm', 'definition': 'the earth

• the realm'}, {'term': 'paryapālayat', 'definition': 'he protected/ruled (thoroughly safeguarded)'}, {'term': 'yeṣām', 'definition': 'of whom

• for those (people/retinues)'}, {'term': 'saṅkhyā-vidhim', 'definition': 'the method/order of counting

• proper enumeration'}, {'term': 'caiva', 'definition': 'and indeed

• and also'}, {'term': 'pradiśāmi', 'definition': 'I assign, apportion, prescribe

• I indicate'}, {'term': 'śṛṇomi', 'definition': 'I hear

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the king (rājā; contextually Yudhiṣṭhira in the accompanying Hindi gloss)
• the earth/realm (mahī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Effective kingship (rājadharma) is shown through orderly governance: protecting the realm, maintaining accurate accounting, and ensuring needs are heard and properly provided for—administration as an ethical duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the conditions during the king’s rule, emphasizing the organized management of royal affairs—counting and provisioning for those connected with the king’s movements and responsibilities, and attending to their requests.