Shloka 13

Book 12, Chapter 93 — Vāmadeva’s Counsel to King Vasumanā on Dharmic Kingship (धर्मप्रधान-राजधर्मोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

एतेष्वेव हि सर्वेषु लोकयात्रा प्रतिष्ठिता । एतानि शृण्वँल्लभते यश: कीर्ति श्रियं प्रजा:

Transliteration

eteṣv eva hi sarveṣu lokayātrā pratiṣṭhitā | etāni śṛṇvan labhate yaśaḥ kīrtiṃ śriyaṃ prajāḥ |

Translation

Car c’est sur ces principes mêmes que repose solidement tout le cours de la vie en ce monde. Le roi qui les écoute et les reçoit comme règle de conduite obtient renom et bonne réputation, prospérité, ainsi que le bien-être et l’appui de ses sujets.

Word by Word

• एतेषु: in these
• एतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हि: for/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

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

• लोकयात्रा: the course/maintenance of the world (worldly life)
• लोकयात्रा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकयात्रा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतिष्ठिता: is established/grounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-स्था
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• एतानि: these (things)
• एतानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शृण्वन्: hearing
• शृण्वन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• लभते: obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• यशः: fame
• यशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कीर्तिम्: renown
• कीर्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• श्रियम्: prosperity/fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रजाः: subjects/people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāmadeva
• rājā (the king)
• prajāḥ (subjects/people)
• lokayātrā (worldly/social order)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly order and successful kingship rest on adherence to established dharmic principles; a ruler who listens to and adopts such counsel gains reputation, prosperity, and the loyalty and flourishing of the people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāmadeva is delivering counsel on rajadharma, emphasizing that the king’s life and rule depend on certain foundational norms; by hearing and embracing these instructions, the king secures fame, fortune, and stable subjects.