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Shloka 27

त्रिवर्गमूलनिश्चयः — Determining the Roots of Dharma, Artha, and Kāma

Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 123

देवानामीश्चरं चक्रे देवं दशशतेक्षणम्‌ | यम॑ वैवस्व॒तं चापि पितृणामकरोत्‌ प्रभुम्‌,उन्होंने सहसनेत्रधारी इन्द्रदेवको देवेश्वरके पदपर प्रतिष्ठित किया और सूर्यपुत्र यमको पितरोंका राजा बनाया

devānām īśvaraṃ cakre devaṃ daśaśatekṣaṇam | yamaṃ vaivasvataṃ cāpi pitṝṇām akarot prabhum ||

Baginda menobatkan Indra yang bermata seribu sebagai penguasa tertinggi dalam kalangan para dewa; dan demikian juga melantik Yama, putera Vivasvat (Matahari), sebagai pemerintah atas Pitṛ—roh-roh leluhur. Ayat ini menegaskan tertib kosmos menurut dharma: kuasa diberikan menurut fungsi, demi pemerintahan dan keadilan di alam yang tampak dan yang ghaib.

देवानाम्of the gods
देवानाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
ईश्वरम्lord, ruler
ईश्वरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootईश्वर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
चक्रेmade, appointed
चक्रे:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
देवम्the god (Indra)
देवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
दशशतेक्षणम्having a hundred eyes
दशशतेक्षणम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदशशतेक्षण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
यम्Yama
यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयम
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वैवस्वतम्son of Vivasvat (the Sun)
वैवस्वतम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootवैवस्वत
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अपिalso
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
पितृणाम्of the Pitṛs (manes/ancestors)
पितृणाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
अकरोत्made, appointed
अकरोत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
प्रभुम्lord, ruler
प्रभुम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्रभु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

वसुहरोम उवाच

I
Indra (Daśaśatekṣaṇa)
Y
Yama (Vaivasvata)
D
Devas
P
Pitṛs
V
Vivasvat (the Sun, implied by 'Vaivasvata')

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that dharma is sustained through proper delegation of authority: Indra governs the devas, while Yama governs the realm connected with death and the ancestors. A well-ordered cosmos mirrors a well-ordered polity—roles are assigned according to competence and function, enabling justice and stability.

Vasuharoma describes how supreme authority arranged the divine hierarchy: Indra is established as the chief of the gods, and Yama (son of the Sun) is made the lord of the Pitṛs. It is a statement of cosmic appointments that explains who presides over key domains.