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

Di negeri Sauvīra ada seorang raja bernama Śatruñjaya, seorang kesatria kereta perang yang agung. Ia mendatangi Bhāradvāja dan bertanya kepadanya agar ditetapkan dengan tegas jalan tindakan—kewajiban—yang harus ditempuh.

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.