Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कलिजड्भवज्राधिपपाण्ड्यपौण्ड्रा विदेहराजो यवनाधिपश्न । अन्ये च नानानृपपुत्रपौत्रा राष्ट्राधिपा: पड़कजपकत्रनेत्रा:

Transliteration

kali-jaḍbha-vajrādhipa-pāṇḍya-pauṇḍrā videha-rājo yavanādhipaś ca | anye ca nānā-nṛpa-putra-pautrā rāṣṭrādhipāḥ paḍakaja-pakatra-netrāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “There were also the rulers of Kaliṅga, Jaḍbha, and Vajra; the kings of the Pāṇḍyas and the Pauṇḍras; the king of Videha; and the lord of the Yavanas. Along with them came many other princes—sons and grandsons of kings—regional sovereigns of diverse lands, some marked by distinctive features and insignia. Thus the narrative underscores how widely the call of power and alliance spread, drawing in rulers from many peoples and territories.”

Word by Word

• कलि: Kali (a king/tribal name)
• कलि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जड्भव: Jaḍbhava (name of a ruler/people)
• जड्भव: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जड्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वज्राधिप: Vajrādhipa (lord of Vajra; a king/title)
• वज्राधिप: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्राधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्ड्य: the Pāṇḍya (king/people)
• पाण्ड्य: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पौण्ड्राः: the Pauṇḍras
• पौण्ड्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विदेह: of Videha
• विदेह: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• राजः: king
• राजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यवन: of the Yavanas (Greeks/foreigners)
• यवन: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अधिपः: overlord, ruler
• अधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• नाना: various, many kinds of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/विशेषणार्थे)

• नृप: of kings
• नृप: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पुत्र: sons
• पुत्र: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पौत्राः: grandsons
• पौत्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राष्ट्र: of kingdoms/realms
• राष्ट्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अधिपाः: rulers, overlords
• अधिपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पड़कजपकत्रनेत्राः: having eyes like 'paḍaka-japaka-tra' (corrupt/unclear epithet)
• पड़कजपकत्रनेत्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पड़कजपकत्रनेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kaliṅga
• Pāṇḍya
• Pauṇḍra
• Videha
• Yavana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the breadth of political networks: many rulers—near and far—become involved through alliance, ambition, or obligation. Ethically, it points to how the actions of central figures ripple outward, drawing entire peoples into the consequences of royal decisions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is enumerating various kings and regional lords—Kaliṅga, Pāṇḍya, Pauṇḍra, Videha, and the Yavana ruler—along with many other princes. It functions as a catalogue of participating or associated powers in the unfolding events.