Shloka 4
Samrāt-Lakṣaṇa and the Counsel to Check Jarāsandha (सम्राट्-लक्षणं जरासन्ध-प्रतिबाधा-परामर्शः)
ऐलस्येक्ष्वाकुवंशस्य प्रकृतिं परिचक्षते | राजान: श्रेणिबद्धाश्व तथान्ये क्षत्रिया भुवि
Ailasyekṣvākavaṁśasya prakṛtiṁ paricakṣate | rājānaḥ śreṇibaddhāś ca tathānye kṣatriyā bhuvi ||
Kṛṣṇa dijo: «En este mundo, los reyes—dispuestos en filas ordenadas—y también otros kṣatriyas de la tierra suelen describir su linaje como perteneciente a las casas de Aila (Purūravas) e Ikṣvāku. Así, las pretensiones de noble ascendencia se hallan extendidas entre los gobernantes, como marca social de legitimidad y rango».
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how rulers often ground their authority in prestigious ancestry—especially the famed Aila (Purūravas) and Ikṣvāku lines—showing that dynastic claims function as a conventional basis for social legitimacy, though true worth ultimately depends on conduct and dharma.
Kṛṣṇa is speaking about the broader political world: many kings and warrior-rulers, standing in organized ranks, identify themselves as descendants of celebrated royal dynasties, emphasizing the importance of lineage in royal self-presentation.