Shloka 2.80.11

मर्गनिर्माणम् (Roadworks and the Royal Route Prepared for Bharata)

Devanagari script

अचिरेणैव कालेन परिवाहान्बहूदकान्।चक्रुर्बहुविधाकारान् सागरप्रतिमान्बहून्।।।।

Transliteration

acireṇaiva kālena parivāhān bahūdakān |

cakruḥ bahuvidhākārān sāgarapratimān bahūn ||

Translation

In a short time they made many water-courses and reservoirs—of varied designs—abundant with water, vast in capacity like the sea.

Context

In a short time they constructed many water reservoirs of different shapes capable of holding large volumes of water like the sea.

Characters & Entities

• water-courses/reservoirs (parivāha)
• Bharata (implied by sarga context)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Welfare-oriented dharma: ensuring water availability and managing resources for travel and habitation reflects the ruler’s duty to sustain life and prevent hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Advance teams rapidly build substantial waterworks to support the moving party and camps along the way.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Efficiency and public-spiritedness—skilled workers act quickly for the common good.