Shloka 193

Brahmopadeśa: Adhipatitva-kathana, Dharma-lakṣaṇa, and Kṣetra–Kṣetrajña Viveka

Book 14, Chapter 43

Devanagari script

प्राप्रुवन्ति महात्मान इति वित्त द्विजर्षभा: । द्विजवरो! जिनके राज्यमें श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंकी सब प्रकारसे रक्षा की जाती है

Transliteration

prāpnuvanti mahātmāna iti vitta dvijarṣabhāḥ |

Translation

Vāyu dit : «Sachez-le, ô le meilleur des deux-fois-nés : les rois au cœur élevé, dans le royaume desquels les hommes d’excellence sont protégés de toutes les manières, jouissent du bonheur en ce monde et, après la mort, atteignent une félicité impérissable.»

Word by Word

• प्राप्नुवन्ति: they attain/obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु: आप्/आप्नोति)
• Form: Lat, Present indicative, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• महात्मानः: great-souled (men/kings)
• महात्मानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इति: thus/so (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• वित्त: know (this); understand
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु: विद्) → वित्त (कृदन्त/भूतकृत्)
• Form: क्त (kta), imperative-like usage as exhortation, Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्विजर्षभाः: O best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (Wind-god)
• dvijarṣabha (addressed Brahmins)
• mahātmānaḥ (noble kings)
• rājya (kingdom/realm)
• śreṣṭha-puruṣāḥ (excellent men)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes actively protecting the virtuous and excellent people of the realm; such righteous governance yields joy in this life and enduring spiritual reward after death.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Brahmins and states a moral principle of kingship: when a king ensures comprehensive protection of worthy persons in his kingdom, he gains worldly happiness and imperishable happiness in the next world.