Shloka 13

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 148: Vāsudeva’s Report—Mobilization and the Nīti Sequence

Sāma–Bheda–Daṇḍa

Devanagari script

“तदनन्तर अपने अधीन रहनेवाले आज्ञापालक छोटे पुत्र पूरुको नृपश्रेष्ठ ययातिने राज्यपर बिठाया ।।

Transliteration

tadanantaraṃ svādhīnaṃ ājñāpālakaṃ kṣudra-putraṃ pūruṃ nṛpaśreṣṭhaḥ yayātiḥ rājye 'bhiṣicya nyaveśayat | evaṃ jyeṣṭho 'pi atha utsikto na rājyam abhijāyate | yavīyānso 'pi jāyante rājyaṃ vṛddhopasevayā |

Translation

ତଦନନ୍ତର ନୃପଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଯୟାତି ନିଜ ଅଧୀନରେ ଥିବା, ଆଜ୍ଞାପାଳକ କନିଷ୍ଠ ପୁତ୍ର ପୂରୁଙ୍କୁ ରାଜ୍ୟରେ ଅଧିଷ୍ଠିତ କଲେ। ଏହିପରି ସିଦ୍ଧ—ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ପୁତ୍ର ମଧ୍ୟ ଯଦି ଅହଂକାରେ ଉନ୍ମତ୍ତ ହୁଏ, ତେବେ ରାଜ୍ୟ ପାଉନାହିଁ; କନିଷ୍ଠମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ବୃଦ୍ଧମାନଙ୍କ ସେବାରେ ରାଜ୍ୟ ପାଇବାକୁ ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ହୁଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• ज्येष्ठः: the eldest (son)
• ज्येष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अथ: then/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• उत्सिक्तः: arrogant, puffed up
• उत्सिक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्सिक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• राज्यम्: kingdom, sovereignty
• राज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभिजायते: is obtained/comes to (one)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√जन्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• यवीयांसः: younger (sons/men)
• यवीयांसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवीयस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• जायन्ते: are born/come to be (i.e., become entitled)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Plural

• राज्यम्: kingdom, sovereignty
• राज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वृद्ध: by/through an elder (person)
• वृद्ध: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• उपसेवया: by service/attendance
• उपसेवया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपसेवा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Yayāti
• Pūru

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Birth order alone does not confer entitlement. Arrogance disqualifies even the eldest from rulership, while humility, obedience, and service to elders can make a younger son worthy of sovereignty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva recounts how King Yayāti placed his younger, obedient son Pūru on the throne, using this episode to illustrate a moral principle about fitness for rule and the value of serving elders.