Shloka 9

Āṇīmāṇḍavya–Upākhyāna

The Account of Āṇīmāṇḍavya and the Birth of Vidura

Devanagari script

तेन कीर्तिमता शिष्टा: शक्रप्रतिमतेजसा । यज्ञदानक्रियाशीला: समपद्यन्त भूमिपा:,इन्द्रके समान तेजस्वी और कीर्तिशाली शान्तनुके शासनमें रहकर अन्य राजालोग भी दान और यज्ञ कर्मोमें स्वभावतः प्रवृत्त होने लगे

Transliteration

tena kīrtimatā śiṣṭāḥ śakra-pratima-tejasā | yajña-dāna-kriyā-śīlāḥ samapadyanta bhūmipāḥ ||

Translation

Guiados por aquel soberano ilustre, cuyo esplendor era semejante al de Indra, los demás reyes también se volvieron disciplinados y, de manera natural, se inclinaron a celebrar sacrificios, practicar la dádiva y cumplir los deberes regios conforme al dharma; así, su gobierno fomentó una cultura de mérito y virtud pública.

Word by Word

तेनby him/thereby

कीर्तिमताby the renowned (one)

शिष्टाःdisciplined, well-conducted

शक्र-प्रतिम-तेजसाby (one) whose splendor is like Indra's

यज्ञ-दान-क्रिया-शीलाःhabitually devoted to sacrifice, gifts, and rites

समपद्यन्तthey came to be / became / engaged in

भूमिपाःkings (protectors of the earth)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śakra (Indra)

bhūmipāḥ (kings)

the renowned king (contextually: Śāntanu)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s personal virtue and radiant authority shape the moral habits of other leaders: when kingship is grounded in fame earned through right conduct, it encourages yajña (public sacred duty), dāna (generosity), and disciplined governance in the wider political order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes how, under the influence of a celebrated, Indra-like king (in context, Śāntanu), other rulers became disciplined and naturally took up sacrifices, charitable giving, and dutiful royal actions, indicating a flourishing of dharmic practice across the realm.