Shloka 31

Chapter 78: Royal Responsibility for Wealth, Social Order, and the Protection of Dvijas

Kekaya Exemplum

Devanagari script

येषां पुरोगमा विप्रा येषां ब्रह्म परं बलम्‌ । अतिथिप्रियास्तथा पौरास्ते वै स्वर्गजितो नूपा:

Transliteration

yeṣāṃ purogamā viprā yeṣāṃ brahma paraṃ balam | atithipriyās tathā paurās te vai svargajito nṛpāḥ ||

Translation

ആരുടെയുമുമ്പിൽ ബ്രാഹ്മണർ ബഹുമാനത്തോടെ മുന്നേറുന്നുവോ, ആരുടെ പരമബലം ബ്രഹ്മതേജസ്സോ, കൂടാതെ ആരുടെ നഗരവാസികൾ അതിഥിസത്കാരത്തിൽ പ്രീതിയുള്ളവരോ— അത്തരം രാജാക്കന്മാർ നിശ്ചയമായി സ്വർഗ്ഗലോകം ജയിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• येषाम्: of whom/whose
• येषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: —, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• पुरोगमाः: going in front, leading
• पुरोगमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरोगम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• येषाम्: of whom/whose
• येषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: —, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्म: brahman; sacred knowledge; the Veda
• ब्रह्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme, highest
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बलम्: strength, power
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अतिथिप्रियाः: fond of honoring guests
• अतिथिप्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिथिप्रिय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: true

• पौराः: citizens, townsmen
• पौराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: those (they)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै
• Form: true

• स्वर्गजितः: conquerors/winners of heaven
• स्वर्गजितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्गजित्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नृपाः: kings
• नृपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

राक्षस उवाच

Characters & Entities

• राक्षस (Rākṣasa, speaker)
• विप्र (Brāhmaṇas)
• अतिथि (Guest)
• स्वर्ग (Heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s lasting merit is grounded in dharma: honoring learned brāhmaṇas (as custodians of sacred knowledge) and fostering a culture of atithi-satkara (hospitality). Such social and religious ethics are presented as a direct cause of heavenly attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

A rākṣasa speaks a didactic verse praising the qualities of righteous kingship: brāhmaṇas are given precedence and respect, spiritual authority is treated as the kingdom’s true strength, and citizens are characterized by love of welcoming guests—together marking a polity that earns svarga.