Shloka 68

Instruction to Śatrughna and the Mobilization for Rāma’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

येषां वेदाः प्रियतमा न च संसारजं सुखम् । स्वधर्मनिरता ये च तान्नमस्कुर्विहान्वितान्

Transliteration

yeṣāṃ vedāḥ priyatamā na ca saṃsārajaṃ sukham | svadharmaniratā ye ca tānnamaskurvihānvitān

Translation

ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຂໍນົບນ້ອມຕໍ່ຜູ້ທີ່ຮັກພຣະເວດາເປັນທີ່ສຸດ, ບໍ່ຫຼົງໃນຄວາມສຸກທີ່ເກີດຈາກສັງສານ, ແລະມັ່ນຄົງໃນສະວະທັມຂອງຕົນ—ມີວິໄນ ແລະບໍ່ປະມາດ.

Word by Word

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (कर्ता; subject of implied ‘are’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• प्रियतमाः: most dear
• प्रियतमाः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियतम (प्रातिपदिक; superlative)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); superlative (तमप्): “most dear” qualifying ‘वेदाः’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय): “and”

• संसारजम्: worldly-born
• संसारजम्: Karma (कर्म; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसार-ज (प्रातिपदिक; संसार + ज)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound: ‘born of worldly existence’ qualifying ‘सुखम्’

• सुखम्: pleasure/happiness
• सुखम्: Karta (कर्ता; subject of implied ‘is’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); with negation: “(is) not (dear)” implied

• स्वधर्मनिरताः: devoted to their own duty
• स्वधर्मनिरताः: Karta (कर्ता; describing the persons implied by ‘ये’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-धर्म-निरत (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + धर्म + निरत[कृदन्त])
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘निरत’ (engaged) from √रम् with नि; compound: ‘engaged in one’s own dharma’

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता; subject of implied description)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय): “and”

• तान्: those (persons)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• नमस्कुरु: salute/bow to
• नमस्कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस्-√कृ (धातु; नामधातु/संयोग)
• Form: Verb; ‘नमस्कृ’ (to salute); Lakāra: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यम), Singular (एकवचन)

• विहान्वितान्: endowed with/connected with (reading uncertain; likely ‘devoid of’ intended)
• विहान्वितान्: Karma (कर्म; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह-अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; विह + अन्वित[कृदन्त])
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘अन्वित’ = endowed/possessed; ‘विह’ taken as ‘विहित/विह’ in sense of ‘free from/without’ is uncertain; context suggests ‘विहीन’ (devoid) was intended; here treated as adjective qualifying ‘तान्’

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent within Pātāla-khaṇḍa dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तान् + नमस्कुरु → तान्नमस्कुरु; नमस्कुरु + विहान्वितान् → नमस्कुर्विहान्वितान् (र् + व sandhi). अंतिम पद ‘विहान्वितान्’ appears textually problematic; likely variant ‘विहीनान्’.

FAQs

What quality is praised most in this verse?

It praises loving the Vedas, detachment from worldly pleasure (saṃsāra-ja sukha), and steadfastness in svadharma, supported by vigilance and discipline.

How does this verse relate svadharma to spiritual life?

It presents faithful commitment to one’s rightful duty (svadharma) as a mark of the worthy—especially when paired with restraint and disinterest in merely worldly enjoyments.

What is the ethical lesson conveyed here?

Honor and emulate those who are guided by revealed wisdom (Vedas), live responsibly within their duty, and avoid being driven by transient pleasures.