Shloka 12

Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ

Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics

Devanagari script

सभास्थान्‌ पाण्डवान द्र॒ष्टं प्रीयमाणो मनोजव: । जयाशीलभिंस्तु त॑ं विप्रो धर्मराजानमार्चयत्‌

Transliteration

sabhāsthān pāṇḍavān draṣṭuṁ prīyamāṇo manojavaḥ | jayāśīrbhis tu taṁ vipro dharmarājānam ārcayat ||

Translation

વૈશંપાયન બોલ્યા—મન સમાન વેગવાળો તે બ્રાહ્મણ સભામાં બેઠેલા પાંડવોને જોઈ પ્રસન્ન થયો અને જયસૂચક આશીર્વચનો દ્વારા ધર્મરાજનું સન્માન કરવા લાગ્યો.

Word by Word

• सभास्थान्: assembly-hall places/seats
• सभास्थान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभास्थान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पाण्डवान्: the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• प्रीयमाणः: rejoicing/being pleased
• प्रीयमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री
• Form: Śatṛ (present passive participle, Ātmanepada sense), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनोजवः: swift as the mind
• मनोजवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोजव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जयाशीलभिः: by/with those of victorious disposition
• जयाशीलभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जयाशील
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मराजानम्: Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मराजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्चयत्: worshipped/honoured
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Vipra (a Brahmin)
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Sabhā (assembly hall)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical order of the court: a righteous king (Dharmarāja) is worthy of reverence, and a Brahmin’s blessing of victory functions as a moral endorsement of dharmic governance and proper social conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin, pleased to see the Pāṇḍavas in the assembly, approaches Yudhiṣṭhira and honors him by offering auspicious blessings for victory.