Shloka 115

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

Devanagari script

मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु विषमा जायते मही । उज्जहार ततो वैन्य: शिलाजालान्‌ समन्तत:

Transliteration

manvantareṣu sarveṣu viṣamā jāyate mahī | ujjahāra tato vainyaḥ śilājālān samantataḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «À chaque Manvantara, la terre devient inégale et entravée. C’est pourquoi Vainya (le roi Pṛthu) ôta de toutes parts les réseaux de barrières rocheuses, rétablissant l’ordre et l’usage du pays.»

Word by Word

• मन्वन्तरेषु: in (the) Manvantaras/epochs
• मन्वन्तरेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• विषमा: uneven/irregular
• विषमा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जायते: is born/comes to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (जायते)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• मही: the earth
• मही: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• उज्जहार: he removed/drew out
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (उद्+हृ)
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then/from that (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

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

• शिलाजालान्: masses/nets of rocks (stone-collections)
• शिलाजालान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलाजाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides, everywhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vainya (King Pṛthu)
• Earth (Mahī)
• Manvantara
• Śilājāla (rocky barriers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s dharma includes maintaining the earth’s order and ensuring public welfare—removing obstacles and restoring stability so society can flourish.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes how, as ages pass, the land becomes rough and obstructed; King Pṛthu (Vainya) responds by clearing widespread rocky impediments, making the terrain fit for habitation and use.