Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अष्टाशीतिसहस््राणि स्नातकानां महात्मनाम्‌ । उपजीवन्ति राजानमेनं सुचरितव्रतम्‌,इन महाभाग नरेशने इस देशके सब राजाओंको वैश्योंकी भाँति स्ववश (अपने अधीन) और विवश करके कर देनेवाला बना दिया था। (अर्थात्‌ सब राजा इन्हें कर दिया करते थे।) अत्यन्त उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले इन महाराजके यहाँ प्रतिदिन अट्टासी हजार महाबुद्धिमान्‌ स्नातकोंकी जीविका चलती थी

Transliteration

aṣṭāśītisahasrāṇi snātakānāṁ mahātmanām | upajīvanti rājānam enaṁ sucaritavratam ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “Eighty-eight thousand high-souled snātakas (learned householders who have completed their Vedic studies) earn their livelihood by the support of this king, a man steadfast in well-conducted vows.”

Word by Word

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणिeighty-eight thousand (persons)

स्नातकानाम्of the स्नातक-s (learned graduates)

महात्मनाम्of the great-souled

उपजीवन्तिlive by / subsist on

राजानम्the king

एनम्this (him)

सुचरितव्रतम्whose vow/conduct is well-practised; of excellent observance

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

the king (unnamed in this verse)

snātakas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A righteous king is measured by disciplined conduct (vrata) and by sustaining the learned and virtuous; supporting Veda-trained people is presented as a concrete expression of royal dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is describing the king’s stature and merit by citing the large number of snātakas who are maintained through the king’s patronage, implying prosperity, generosity, and adherence to proper vows.