Shloka 68

Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)

Devanagari script

मया कृतं सुरश्रेष्ठा यावत्कल्पक्षयादिह । चिन्तयध्वं लोकहितं यथाधीकारमी क्वरा:

Transliteration

mayā kṛtaṃ suraśreṣṭhā yāvat kalpakṣayād iha | cintayadhvaṃ lokahitaṃ yathādhikāram īśvarāḥ ||

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“ദേവശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ! ഞാൻ ഇവിടെ ആരംഭിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന കര്‍മ്മം കല്പക്ഷയം വരെയും നിലനിൽക്കും. അതിനാൽ നിങ്ങളൊരോരുത്തരും തത്തത്തധികാരപരിധിയനുസരിച്ച് ലോകഹിതം ചിന്തിച്ച് യഥോചിതമായി നടപ്പാക്കുവിൻ.”

Word by Word

मयाby me

कृतम्done, made

सुरश्रेष्ठाःO best of the gods

यावत्as long as, until

कल्पक्षयात्from the end of the aeon (till the aeon’s end)

इहhere, in this world

चिन्तयध्वम्think, consider

लोकहितम्the welfare of the world

यथाaccording as, in the manner that

अधिकारम्authority, competence, entitlement

इthus (particle; here likely part of a corrupt reading)

क्वwhere? (interrogative; likely corrupt here)

रा:unresolved fragment (text appears corrupt)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

suraśreṣṭhāḥ (best of the gods)

īśvarāḥ (lords/divine rulers)

kalpa (aeon)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes lokahita (the welfare of all) as a guiding aim, to be pursued through yathādhikāra—acting in accordance with one’s proper role, authority, and responsibility. Ethical action is framed as role-based stewardship directed toward the common good.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates a directive addressed to exalted divine powers (“best of the gods”), stating that his undertaking will stand until the end of the cosmic cycle, and urging them to deliberate and act for the world’s welfare within their respective jurisdictions.