Shloka 13

कौशिकस्य क्रोधविनिवृत्तिः — Kauśika’s Anger Checked by Householder Dharma

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच राजाधिराज तव समीपं सेदुकेन प्रेषितो भिक्षितु-मागत: । तेनानुशिष्टेन मया त्वं भिक्षितोडसि,इत्युक्त्वा ब्राह्मणाय दैवसिकामुत्पत्ति प्रादात्‌ । अधिक स्याश्वसहस्रस्य मूल्यमेवादादिति ऐसा कहकर राजाने ब्राह्मगको एक दिनकी आय दे दी। इस प्रकार उन्होंने एक हजारसे अधिक घोड़ोंका मूल्य ही दिया-

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca rājādhirāja tava samīpaṃ sedukena preṣito bhikṣitum āgataḥ | tenānuśiṣṭena mayā tvaṃ bhikṣito ’si ity uktvā brāhmaṇāya daivasikām utpattiṃ prādāt | adhikaṃ syād aśvasahasrasya mūlyam evādād iti |

Translation

The Brahmin said: “O emperor among kings, I have come to your presence to beg, having been sent by Seduka. In accordance with his instruction, I have begged from you.” Having said this, the king granted the Brahmin the day’s divinely allotted income—indeed, he gave an amount exceeding even the value of a thousand horses. The episode highlights royal duty expressed as generosity: the ruler’s wealth is to be used to relieve need, and a petitioner’s request, properly conveyed, becomes an occasion for dharmic giving rather than mere transaction.

Word by Word

• {'brāhmaṇaḥ': 'a Brahmin

• here, the petitioner/speaker', 'uvāca': 'said

• spoke', 'rājādhirāja': 'king of kings

• supreme ruler/emperor', 'samīpam': 'presence

• proximity', 'preṣitaḥ': 'sent

• dispatched', 'bhikṣitum': 'to beg

• to request alms', 'āgataḥ': 'has come

• arrived', 'anuśiṣṭa': 'instructed

• directed', 'bhikṣitaḥ': 'begged from

• requested (passive sense: ‘you have been begged’)', 'uktvā': 'having said', 'brāhmaṇāya': 'to the Brahmin (dative)', 'daivasikā utpattiḥ': 'daily, divinely apportioned revenue/income

• the day’s ordained proceeds', 'prādāt': 'gave

• granted', 'adhikam': 'more

• exceeding', 'aśva-sahasra': 'a thousand horses', 'mūlya': 'value

• price', 'eva': 'indeed

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brahmin petitioner)
• राजाधिराज (the emperor/king addressed)
• सेदुक (Seduka)
• अश्वसहस्र (a thousand horses, as a value-comparison)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes prompt and generous giving to worthy petitioners; wealth is validated ethically when it is used to relieve need and uphold social responsibility, not merely hoarded or displayed.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin arrives at the emperor’s court, stating he was sent by Seduka to beg. After declaring the request, the king grants him the day’s allotted revenue—an amount said to exceed even the value of a thousand horses.