Shloka 19

Aṃśāvataraṇa-kathana (Catalog of Divine/Asuric Portions in Human Births) — Chapter 61

Devanagari script

ते प्रातिष्ठन्त सहिता नगराजन्नागसाह्दयात्‌ । प्रस्थाने चाभवन्मन्त्री क्षत्ता तेषां महात्मनाम्‌

Transliteration

te prātiṣṭhanta sahitā nagarājannāgasāhṛdayāt | prasthāne cābhavanmantrī kṣattā teṣāṃ mahātmanām ||

Translation

नागांच्या स्नेहपूर्ण हृदयामुळे प्रेरित होऊन ते सर्वजण एकत्र नागराजाच्या नगरातून निघाले; आणि प्रस्थानसमयी त्या महात्म्यांचे मंत्री म्हणून क्षत्ता (विदुर) सोबत झाला।

Word by Word

तेthey

प्रातिष्ठन्तset out / departed

सहिताtogether, united

नगराजन्O king of cities (O best of kings)

नागसाह्रदयात्from affection/kindness like that of a serpent (i.e., from deep goodwill)

प्रस्थानेat the departure

चand

अभवत्was / became

मन्त्रीminister, counsellor

क्षत्ताchamberlain / attendant (Vidura-like officer)

तेषाम्of them

महात्मनाम्of the great-souled ones

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Nāgarāja

Nāgas

Kṣattā (Vidura)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical value of cordial alliances and the importance of wise counsel: goodwill between communities supports safe passage, and a righteous adviser (kṣattā/Vidura) safeguards decisions at critical transitions like departure.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group departs together from Nāgarāja’s city, aided by the friendly disposition of the Nāgas; at the moment of setting out, Kṣattā (Vidura) assumes the role of minister/counselor for those noble persons.