Shloka 24

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 98 — Paraśurāma’s kṣatriya suppression; Dīrghatamas, Bali, Sudēṣṇā, and the birth of Aṅga

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं संदिश्य तनयं प्रतीप: शान्तनुं तदा । स्वे च राज्येडभिषिच्यैनं वन॑ राजा विवेश ह,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--अपने पुत्र शान्तनुको ऐसा आदेश देकर राजा प्रतीपने उसी समय उन्हें अपने राज्यपर अभिषिक्त कर दिया और स्वयं वनमें प्रवेश किया

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca—evaṃ saṃdiśya tanayaṃ pratīpaḥ śāntanuṃ tadā | sve ca rājye ’bhiṣicya enaṃ vanaṃ rājā viveśa ha ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having thus instructed his son Śāntanu, King Pratīpa then consecrated him to his own kingdom. Thereafter, the king withdrew into the forest—an ethical act of renunciation that affirms orderly succession and the dharma of a ruler who hands over power at the proper time.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• संदिश्य: having instructed/commanded
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√दिश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

• तनयम्: son
• तनयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतीपः: Pratipa (the king)
• प्रतीपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शान्तनुम्: Shantanu
• शान्तनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• स्वे: in his own
• स्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राज्ये: in the kingdom
• राज्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अभिषिच्य: having consecrated/anointed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√सिच्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (एतद्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विवेश: entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√विश्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ह: indeed (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pratīpa
• Śāntanu
• vana (forest)
• rājya (kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights rājadharma: a king should ensure stable succession by installing a worthy heir and then practice timely withdrawal/renunciation, placing the kingdom’s welfare above personal attachment to power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Pratīpa, after giving instructions to his son Śāntanu, formally consecrates him as ruler of the kingdom and then retires to the forest, marking the transition of royal authority.