Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

महाभिषश्न विख्यातो निमिराजा तथाष्टक: । आयु: क्षुपश्च राजर्षि: कक्षेयुश्न नराधिप:

Transliteration

mahābhiṣaś ca vikhyāto nimi-rājā tathāṣṭakaḥ | āyuḥ kṣupaś ca rājarṣiḥ kakṣeyuś ca narādhipaḥ ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਪ੍ਰਸਿੱਧ ਮਹਾਭਿਸ਼, ਰਾਜਾ ਨਿਮੀ ਅਤੇ ਅਸ਼ਟਕ; ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਆਯੁ, ਰਾਜਰਿਸ਼ੀ ਕ੍ਸ਼ੁਪ ਅਤੇ ਨਰਾਧਿਪ ਕਕ੍ਸ਼ੇਯੁ।

Word by Word

• महाभिषः: Mahābhiṣa (a king)
• महाभिषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विख्यातः: renowned, famous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विख्यात (कृदन्त; वि-√ख्या + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निमिराजा: King Nimi
• निमिराजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमिराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अष्टकः: Aṣṭaka (a king/sage)
• अष्टकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आयुः: Āyu (a king)
• आयुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षुपः: Kṣupa (a royal sage)
• क्षुपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राजर्षिः: royal sage
• राजर्षिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कक्षेयुः: Kakṣeyu (a king)
• कक्षेयुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कक्षेयु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नराधिपः: lord of men, king
• नराधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mahābhiṣa
• Nimi
• Aṣṭaka
• Āyu
• Kṣupa
• Kakṣeyu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports the dharmic practice of honoring exemplary rulers and royal sages: remembering their names and fame is presented as morally uplifting, encouraging ideals of righteous governance, self-restraint, and merit-bearing remembrance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma continues a catalog of celebrated kings and rājarṣis, naming Mahābhiṣa, Nimi, Aṣṭaka, Āyu, Kṣupa, and Kakṣeyu as part of a longer recitation of worthy rulers whose remembrance is praised.