Shloka 25

Rāmopākhyāna—Rāma–Sītā Origins and the Opening of Rāvaṇa’s Genealogy

Devanagari script

धार्तराष्ट्रोडपि नृपति: प्रशशास वसुन्धराम्‌

Transliteration

dhārtarāṣṭro 'pi nṛpatiḥ praśaśāsa vasundharām

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Even Dhṛtarāṣṭra, though blind, ruled the earth as king—maintaining the order of the realm and exercising sovereign authority over the land.

Word by Word

• धार्तराष्ट्रः: Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son (Duryodhana)
• धार्तराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• नृपतिः: king (lord of men)
• नृपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रशशास: ruled/governed
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• वसुन्धराम्: the earth
• वसुन्धराम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Vasundharā (the Earth/realm)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the dharmic ideal of kingship: sovereignty is defined by the capacity to govern and uphold order in the realm, even when personal limitations exist. Authority carries the ethical duty of administration and protection of the earth (the people and the land).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana briefly notes that Dhṛtarāṣṭra held and exercised royal power over the kingdom—setting the political background for subsequent events by affirming his position as the reigning Kuru monarch.