Shloka 32

राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order

Devanagari script

ततो महीं परिययौ पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान्‌ । शमयन्‌ सर्वतः पापान्‌ स्वकर्मसु च योजयन्‌

Transliteration

tato mahīṁ pariyayau parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān | śamayan sarvataḥ pāpān svakarmasu ca yojayan

Translation

Alors il parcourut la terre tel un nuage lourd de pluie, apaisant et lavant les péchés de toutes parts, et conduisant les hommes à s’établir dans leurs devoirs légitimes, selon leur propre dharma (svakarma).

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• महीम्: the earth
• महीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• परिययौ: went around; traversed
• परिययौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• पर्जन्यः: the rain-cloud; Parjanya
• पर्जन्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्जन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like; as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya

• वृष्टिमान्: rain-bearing; full of rain
• वृष्टिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्टिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शमयन्: pacifying; quelling
• शमयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम्
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वतः: on all sides; everywhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतस्
• Form: Avyaya

• पापान्: sins; evils
• पापान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• स्वकर्मसु: in their own duties/actions
• स्वकर्मसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वकर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• योजयन्: engaging; appointing; causing to be joined
• योजयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज्
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parjanya (rain-cloud/rain-god)
• Mahī (the earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A righteous leader (or exemplary person) benefits society by reducing wrongdoing and re-establishing people in their proper duties (svakarma). Ethical order is portrayed as something that can be restored through guidance, discipline, and dharmic alignment—like rain that cools and cleanses the world.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a figure who travels across the land, compared to a rain-bearing cloud. As he moves, he pacifies evils everywhere and directs people back to their appropriate occupations and responsibilities, implying the spread of dharma and the stabilization of society.