Shloka 38

उतथ्योपदेशः—राजधर्मः, दर्पनिग्रहः, प्रजारक्षणम्

Utathya’s Instruction: Royal Dharma, Restraint of Pride, Protection of Subjects

Devanagari script

नक्षत्राण्युपतिष्ठन्ति ग्रहा घोरास्तथागते । उत्पाताश्षात्र दृश्यन्ते बहवो राजनाशना:,आकाशमें भयानक ग्रह और धूमकेतु आदि तारे उगते हैं तथा राष्ट्रके विनाशकी सूचना देनेवाले बहुतसे उत्पात दिखायी देने लगते हैं

Transliteration

nakṣatrāṇy upatiṣṭhanti grahā ghorās tathāgate | utpātāś cātra dṛśyante bahavo rājanāśanāḥ ||

Translation

Utathya dit : «Quand ce temps est venu, les étoiles elles-mêmes semblent se presser tout près, et d’effroyables planètes et des comètes paraissent dans le ciel. Alors se montrent de nombreux présages sinistres—signes qui annoncent la ruine d’un royaume.»

Word by Word

नक्षत्राणिstars/constellations

उपतिष्ठन्तिappear/come forth/stand near

ग्रहाःplanets (also: ominous celestial bodies)

घोराःterrible/dreadful

तथाthus/also

आगतेwhen (he) has come/at the arrival (of someone)

उत्पाताःportents/omens

चand

अत्रhere

दृश्यन्तेare seen/appear

बहवःmany

राजन्O king

नाशनाःdestroying/bringing ruin

Speaker

उतथ्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Utathya

nakṣatra (stars)

graha (planets)

dhūmaketu (comet)

utpāta (portents)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should read the moral and social ‘weather’ of the realm: widespread disorder and ominous signs symbolize the ripening of collective adharma and warn that negligence in governance and righteousness leads to political collapse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Utathya describes the appearance of fearful celestial phenomena—stars, planets, and comets—along with many portents, presenting them as indicators that a kingdom’s destruction is imminent.