Shloka 63

Devanagari script

राज्ञे भोजकटस्थाय महामात्राय धीमते । भीष्मकाय स धर्मात्मा साक्षादिन्द्रसखाय वै

Transliteration

rājñe bhojakaṭasthāya mahāmātrāya dhīmate | bhīṣmakāya sa dharmātmā sākṣād indrasakhāya vai ||

Translation

Sahadeva dit : « Au roi demeurant à Bhojakaṭa —au sage grand ministre Bhīṣmaka— cet homme à l’âme droite parla comme s’il s’adressait en personne au compagnon d’Indra. »

Word by Word

राज्ञेto the king

भोजकटस्थायto (him) staying at Bhojakaṭa

महामात्रायto the high minister/official

धीमतेto the wise one

भीष्मकायto Bhīṣmaka

सःhe

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled

साक्षात्directly, in person

इन्द्रसखायto the friend of Indra

वैindeed, surely

Speaker

सहदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sahadeva

Bhīṣmaka

Bhojakaṭa

Indra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical governance and the ideal of a dharmic statesman: a wise high official (mahāmātra) is addressed with respect, and righteousness (dharmātmā) is presented as the defining quality that lends authority and credibility to counsel in royal affairs.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sahadeva refers to an address made to Bhīṣmaka—described as a king at Bhojakaṭa and a wise high minister—emphasizing the stature of the person spoken to and the directness and weight of the communication, likened to speaking in person to Indra’s own companion.