Shloka 12

Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

शक्र उवाच यदनेन कृतं कर्म प्रत्यक्ष ते महीपते ।।

Transliteration

śakra uvāca yad anena kṛtaṃ karma pratyakṣa te mahīpate | purā pālayataḥ samyak pṛthivīṃ dharmato nṛpa ||

Translation

ശക്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ മഹീപതേ, നരേശ്വരാ! പൂർവകാലത്ത് നിങ്ങൾ ധർമ്മാനുസാരമായി ഭൂമിയെ ശരിയായി ഭരിച്ചിരുന്നപ്പോൾ, സുദേവൻ ചെയ്ത കര്‍മ്മം നിങ്ങൾ നേരിൽ കണ്ടതാണ്.

Word by Word

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अनेन: by him/with this (one)
• अनेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कृतम्: done, performed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• कर्म: deed, act
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• प्रत्यक्षम्: directly, before (one’s) eyes
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ते: of you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• महीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुरा: formerly, earlier
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• पालयतः: while (you were) protecting/ruling
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (पाल्)
• Form: Present Active Participle (शतृ), Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सम्यक्: properly, well
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक्

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मतः: according to dharma/righteously
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म
• Form: तसिल् (ablatival adverb)

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

इन्द्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• King (Mahīpati/Nṛpa; addressee, identified in the surrounding narrative as Ambarīṣa)
• Earth/Kingdom (Pṛthivī)
• Dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Indra frames ethical memory as evidence: righteous rule (dharmataḥ pālana) is linked with clear discernment (pratyakṣa), and a king should recognize and honor proven merit. The verse sets up a moral reminder that governance according to dharma includes fair acknowledgment of service and deeds witnessed firsthand.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra begins recounting an earlier episode to the king: during the king’s former dharmic reign, the king personally saw Sudeva’s notable exploit. This line introduces Indra’s testimony, which will support the ensuing account of conflict, the disruption of sacrifice, and Sudeva’s decisive action (as narrated in the surrounding passage).