Shloka 11

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ तवान्तको मृत्युर्जरा वा देहनाशिनी । नत्वां विशति विप्रर्षे प्रसादात्‌ परमेछ्चिन:,इसीलिये सबको मारनेवाली मृत्यु तथा शरीरको जर्जर बना देनेवाली जरा आपका स्पर्श नहीं करती है। ब्रह्मर्ष! इसमें भगवान्‌ परमेष्ठीका कृपाप्रसाद ही कारण है

Transliteration

tasmāt tavāntako mṛtyur jarā vā dehanāśinī | na tvāṁ viśati viprarṣe prasādāt parameṣṭhinaḥ ||

Translation

Therefore, O best of seers among the Brahmins, neither Death—the ender of all—nor old age, which wastes away the body, can touch you. This freedom from decay and mortality arises from the gracious favor of Parameṣṭhī (Brahmā).

Word by Word

तस्मात्therefore / from that (cause)

तवof you / your

अन्तकःDeath (the ender)

मृत्युःdeath

जराold age / decay

वाor

देह-नाशिनीdestroying the body

नnot

त्वाम्you

विशतिenters / affects / touches

विप्र-ऋषेO brahmin-sage

प्रसादात्from (divine) grace / by favor

परमेष्ठिनःof Parameṣṭhin (the Supreme Lord/Brahmā)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Antaka (Death)

Mṛtyu (Death)

Jarā (Old age)

Parameṣṭhī (Brahmā)

Viprarṣi (addressed Brahmin sage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes that freedom from death and bodily decay is not merely personal strength but the result of divine grace (prasāda) bestowed by Parameṣṭhī (Brahmā), highlighting the ethical idea that higher protection and extraordinary states depend on divine favor and merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains to the listener that the addressed Brahmin sage is untouched by death and old age; the narrator attributes this exceptional condition to the gracious blessing of Parameṣṭhī (Brahmā).