Shloka 109

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

वैन्यस्ततस्तानुवाच देवानृषिपुरोगमान्‌ । ब्राह्मणा मे महाभागा नमस्या: पुरुषर्षभा:

Transliteration

vainyas tatastān uvāca devān ṛṣipurōgamān | brāhmaṇā me mahābhāgā namasyāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

Alors Vainya s’adressa aux dieux et aux sages qui les guidaient : «Ô meilleurs des hommes, ô âmes magnanimes ! Les illustres brahmanes sont à jamais dignes de ma révérence.»

Word by Word

• वैन्यः: Vainya (son of Vena)
• वैन्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ऋषि-पुरोगमान्: having sages in the forefront / led by sages
• ऋषि-पुरोगमान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरोगम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• महाभागाः: greatly fortunate / illustrious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नमस्याः: worthy of salutation
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नमस्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पुरुष-ऋषभाः: bulls among men (O best of men)
• पुरुष-ऋषभाः: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vainya (Vena-kumāra)
• Devas
• Rishis
• Brahmanas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should uphold dharma by honoring Brāhmaṇas and the spiritual-ethical authorities (ṛṣis), recognizing them as worthy of reverence; this expresses humility and supports righteous governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vainya, the son of Vena, addresses the assembled gods and the sages leading them, declaring that Brāhmaṇas are always to be saluted by him—signaling his alignment with dharma and proper royal conduct.