Shloka 12

Devanagari script

चरन्‌ नै:श्रेयसं धर्म प्रजापालनकारितम्‌ | नाध्यगच्छद्‌ बलिलेके तीर्थमन्यत्र वै द्विजात्‌,“राजा बलिको प्रजापालनजनित कल्याणकारी धर्मका आचरण करनेके लिये ब्राह्मणका आश्रय लेनेके सिवा दूसरा कोई उपाय नहीं जान पड़ा था

Transliteration

caran naiḥśreyasaṃ dharmaṃ prajā-pālana-kāritam | nādhyagacchad balileke tīrtham anyatra vai dvijāt |

Translation

Waiśampāyana berkata: Saat menapaki dharma yang membawa kebajikan tertinggi dan terwujud dalam pemeliharaan rakyat, Raja Bali di dunia ini tidak menemukan perlindungan—tiada pula tirtha—selain pada seorang dwija.

Word by Word

चरन्practising, observing

नैःश्रेयसम्leading to the highest good

धर्मम्dharma, righteous duty

प्रजापालनकारितम्caused by the protection of subjects

नnot

अध्यगच्छत्found, came to know, obtained

बलिःBali (the king)

एकेin one (place/way)

तीर्थम्a sacred resort; means/refuge

अन्यत्रelsewhere, otherwise

वैindeed

द्विजात्from a twice-born (brahmin)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bali (King Bali)

dvija (Brahmin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the pursuit of niḥśreyasa (the highest good) through righteous governance—especially the protection and welfare of subjects—requires guidance grounded in Brahmanical learning and discipline; a king should seek counsel from the wise rather than rely solely on power or expediency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes King Bali’s effort to practice a welfare-producing, kingly dharma. In doing so, Bali recognizes that he has no better ‘tīrtha’ (refuge/resource) than turning to a dvija (Brahmin) for direction and support.