Shloka 25

Devanagari script

अथवा त्वां महीपाल शमयिष्यन्ति वै द्विजा: । निरसिष्यन्ति ते राष्ट्रद्धतोत्साहा महाबला:

Transliteration

athavā tvāṃ mahīpāla śamayīṣyanti vai dvijāḥ | nirasīṣyanti te rāṣṭrād dhatotsāhā mahābalāḥ ||

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ, ഹേ മഹീപാലാ! ആ മഹാബലന്മാരായ ദ്വിജന്മാർ നിന്നെ തീർച്ചയായും നിയന്ത്രിച്ച് ശാന്തമാക്കും. നീ അവരുടെ ധർമ്മോചിതമായ ഉത്സാഹത്തിന് തടസ്സം വരുത്തിയാൽ, അവർ നിന്നെ രാജ്യത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പുറത്താക്കും.

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• महीपाल: O king (protector of the earth)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शमयिष्यन्ति: will pacify / will calm
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम् (शमयति)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• द्विजाः: brahmins (the twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निरसिष्यन्ति: will drive out / will expel
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-अस् (निरस्यति)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ते: of you / your
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• राष्ट्रात्: from the kingdom
• राष्ट्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• धृतोत्साहाः: with firm resolve / steadfast
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृतोत्साह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाबलाः: very strong / mighty
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• mahīpāla (a king)
• dvijāḥ (Brahmins)
• rāṣṭra (kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king must uphold dharma and not obstruct the rightful religious and moral agency of Brahmins; if he acts arrogantly or suppresses dharmic zeal, he risks losing legitimacy and even being removed from power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna addresses a king, warning that if the king does not calm down or if he interferes with the Brahmins’ purpose, the powerful Brahmins themselves will restrain him and may expel him from his kingdom.