Shloka 17

Devanagari script

सम॑ सर्वेषु भूतेषु वर्तमानं नराधिप । अनुजीवन्तु सर्वे त्वां ज्ञातयो भ्रातृभि: सह,“महाराज! आप सभी प्राणियोंके प्रति समान बर्ताव करें और सभी सजातीय मनुष्य अपने भाई-बन्धुओंके साथ आपके आश्रित रहकर जीवन-निर्वाह करें"

Transliteration

Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca: samaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu vartamānaṃ narādhipa | anujīvantu sarve tvāṃ jñātayo bhrātṛbhiḥ saha ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O king, conduct yourself with equal regard toward all beings. Let all your kinsmen, together with their brothers, live depending upon you and sustain their livelihood under your protection.”

Word by Word

• समम्: equally
• समम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वेषु: in/among all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• भूतेषु: beings/creatures
• भूतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• वर्तमानम्: acting/behaving (being)
• वर्तमानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्त् (धातु) + शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• अनुजीवन्तु: let (them) live dependent (on you)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्गार्थ), प्रथम, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञातयः: kinsmen/relatives
• ज्ञातयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भ्रातृभिः: with brothers
• भ्रातृभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)

Speaker

वैशमग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• narādhipa (the king addressed)
• jñātayaḥ (kinsmen/relatives)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches rāja-dharma: a king should practice impartiality toward all beings and ensure the welfare and livelihood of those who depend on him—especially his kinsmen—through protection and just support.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the opening of the Aśvamedhika Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana addresses the king with counsel on proper conduct after the great war, emphasizing equitable behavior and the responsibility to sustain dependents and relatives under royal protection.