Shloka 2

Jarāsandha-nipātana, rāja-mokṣa, and rājasūya-sāhāyya-prārthanā

Jarāsandha’s fall, liberation of kings, and request for support

Devanagari script

वैकृते वासति कं मन्यध्वं मामनागसम्‌ | अरें वै ब्रूत हे विप्रा: सतां समय एष हि

Transliteration

vaikṛte vāsati kaṃ manyadhvaṃ mām anāgasam | areṃ vai brūta he viprāḥ satāṃ samaya eṣa hi ||

Translation

ジャラーサンダは言った。「この変転し乱れた境遇のもと、ここに身を置く私を、罪なき者であるこの私を、なぜ汝らは敵と見なすのか。率直に答えよ、婆羅門たちよ。これがまことに、義ある者たちの認める作法と盟約なのか。」

Word by Word

• वैकृते: in a perverted/unnatural state (of affairs)
• वैकृते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वासति: dwells/abides
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कम्: whom?
• कम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्यध्वम्: do you think/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्/मन्य (धातु)
• Form: Present, 2nd, Plural, Atmanepada

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• अनागसम्: blameless, without offense
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनागस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अरे: hey! (interjection)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अरे (निपात)

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)

• ब्रूत: tell (you all)!
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• हे: O! (vocative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (सम्बोधन-निपात)

• विप्राः: O brahmins!
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Plural

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• समये: in the convention/accepted conduct
• समये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: for, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (निपात)

Speaker

जरासंध उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Jarāsandha
• viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical challenge: the righteous (sat) are expected to follow a recognized standard of fair conduct (samaya). Jarāsandha appeals to norms of justice—do not treat someone as an enemy without established fault—and demands transparent reasoning.

What is happening in the narrative?

Jarāsandha addresses brāhmaṇas and protests being treated as an enemy despite claiming innocence. He presses them to state their grounds openly and questions whether their stance aligns with the accepted conduct of virtuous people.