Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पूज्यमानाश्र वर्धन्ते हव्यकव्यैर्यथाविधि । वयं राष्ट्रस्य गोप्तारो रक्षितारश्न राक्षस,क्योंकि मनुष्यद्वारा हव्य और कव्यसे विधिपूर्वक पूजित होनेपर उनकी वृद्धि होती है। राक्षस! हमलोग राष्ट्रके पालक और संरक्षक हैं

Transliteration

pūjyamānāś ca vardhante havyakavyair yathāvidhi | vayaṁ rāṣṭrasya goptāro rakṣitāraś ca rākṣasa ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “When they are duly honoured with the prescribed offerings—havis and kavya—they grow in strength and prosperity. O Rākṣasa, we are the guardians and protectors of the realm.”

Word by Word

पूज्यमानाःbeing worshipped

वर्धन्तेthey grow / increase

हव्यकव्यैःwith oblations for gods and offerings for ancestors

यथाas / according to

विधिrule, prescribed manner

वयम्we

राष्ट्रस्यof the kingdom/state

गोप्तारःprotectors, guardians

रक्षितारःdefenders, preservers

राक्षसO Rakshasa

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Rākṣasa

rāṣṭra (kingdom/state)

havya (havis oblations)

kavya (pitṛ-offerings)

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?

Properly performed ritual offerings—both to the gods (havya) and to the ancestors (kavya)—are presented as sustaining and strengthening the cosmic-social order; alongside this, the speaker asserts a duty of rājadharma: to guard and protect the kingdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a statement is made to a Rākṣasa emphasizing that beings prosper when duly honoured with prescribed offerings, and the speakers identify themselves as the realm’s appointed guardians and defenders, framing their stance in terms of protection and lawful order.