Shloka 4

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

राजा शत्रुंजयो नाम सौवीरेषु महारथ: । भारद्वाजमुपागम्य पप्रच्छार्थविनिश्चवयम्‌,सौवीरदेशमें शत्रुंजय नामसे प्रसिद्ध एक महारथी राजा थे। उन्होंने भारद्वाज कणिकके पास जाकर अपने कर्तव्यका निश्चय करनेके लिये उनसे इस प्रकार प्रश्न किया--

Transliteration

rājā śatruñjayo nāma sauvīreṣu mahārathaḥ | bhāradvājam upāgamya papracchārtha-viniścayam ||

Translation

સૌવીર દેશમાં શત્રુંજય નામે એક મહારથી રાજા હતો. તે ભારદ્વાજ પાસે જઈ પોતાના કર્તવ્યનો નિશ્ચય જાણવા માટે પ્રશ્ન કરવા લાગ્યો.

Word by Word

राजाking

शत्रुंजयःShatruñjaya (name)

नामby name / named

सौवीरेषुamong/in the Sauviras (Sauvira country/people)

महारथःgreat chariot-warrior

भारद्वाजम्Bharadvāja

उपागम्यhaving approached

पप्रच्छasked

अर्थ-विनिश्चयम्determination/decision of the matter (duty/purpose)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śatruñjaya

Bhāradvāja

Sauvīra (country/people)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should seek clear determination of dharma and practical duty by approaching a qualified sage; ethical governance begins with humble inquiry and decisive understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma introduces an illustrative episode: King Śatruñjaya of Sauvīra goes to the sage Bhāradvāja and asks him for a definitive judgment about what he ought to do.