Shloka 11

Sūrya-stava: Dhaumya’s Counsel and the Aṣṭaśata-nāma of Sūrya

Devanagari script

भीमेन कार्तवीर्येण वैन्येन नहुषेण च । तपोयोगसमाधिस्थैरुद्धता ह्यापद: प्रजा:,भीम, कार्तवीर्य अर्जुन, वेनपुत्र पृथु तथा नहुष आदि नरेशोंने तपस्या, योग और समाधिमें स्थित होकर भारी आपत्तियोंसे प्रजाको उबारा है

Transliteration

bhīmena kārtavīryeṇa vainyena nahuṣeṇa ca | tapoyogasamādhisthair uddhatā hy āpadaḥ prajāḥ ||

Translation

Dhāumya berkata: “Oleh Bhīma, oleh Kārtavīrya, oleh Vainya (Pṛthu putra Vena), dan juga oleh Nahuṣa—para raja yang teguh dalam tapa, yoga yang teratur, dan samādhi—bencana-bencana besar sungguh telah disingkirkan dari rakyat.”

Word by Word

भीमेनby Bhima

कार्तवीर्येणby Kartavirya (Arjuna)

वैन्येनby Vainya (Prithu, son of Vena)

नहुषेणby Nahusha

चand

तपोयोगसमाधिस्थैःby those abiding in austerity, yoga, and samadhi

उद्धताwere rescued / were lifted up

हिindeed

आपदःcalamities / distresses

प्रजाःthe people / subjects

Speaker

धौग्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhaumya

Bhīma

Kārtavīrya (Arjuna Kārtavīrya)

Vainya (Pṛthu, son of Vena)

Nahuṣa

prajāḥ (subjects/people)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that a ruler’s true capacity to rescue society from संकट (āpadaḥ) arises from inner discipline—tapas (austerity), yoga (self-mastery), and samādhi (steady concentration). Ethical leadership is grounded in personal restraint and spiritual strength, which then expresses itself as protection of the prajā (subjects).

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhaumya cites exemplary ancient kings—Bhīma, Kārtavīrya, Pṛthu (Vainya), and Nahuṣa—to encourage the listeners by precedent: in earlier times, such rulers, established in spiritual discipline, removed great dangers afflicting the people. The statement functions as an instructive reminder of ideal royal conduct during hardship.