Shloka 24

उतथ्योपदेशः—राजधर्मः, दर्पनिग्रहः, प्रजारक्षणम्

Utathya’s Instruction: Royal Dharma, Restraint of Pride, Protection of Subjects

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणानां सदासूयाद्‌ बाल्याद्‌ वैरोचनो बलि: । अथास्माच्छीरपाक्रामद्‌ या$स्मिन्नासीत्‌ प्रतापिनी

Transliteration

brāhmaṇānāṃ sadāsūyād bālyād vairocano baliḥ | athāsmāc chīrapākrāmad yā’sminn āsīt pratāpinī ||

Translation

ਉਤਥ੍ਯ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ— ਵਿਰੋਚਨ ਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਬਲੀ ਬਚਪਨ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਉੱਤੇ ਸਦਾ ਦੋਸ਼ ਲਾਂਦਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਸੀ। ਇਸ ਲਈ ਜੋ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਰਾਜ-ਲਕਸ਼ਮੀ ਸ਼ਤਰੂਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਤਪਾਉਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਪ੍ਰਤਾਪਵਾਨ ਸੀ, ਉਹ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ ਚਲੀ ਗਈ।

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• असूयात्: from envy / from fault-finding
• असूयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असूया
• Form: Feminine, Ablative, Singular

• बाल्यात्: from childhood
• बाल्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• वैरोचनः: son of Virocana (Vairochana)
• वैरोचनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैरोचन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बलिः: Bali
• बलिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then / and then
• अथ: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अस्मात्: from him
• अस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Ablative, Singular

• श्रीः: fortune / royal prosperity
• श्रीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पाक्रमत्: departed / went away
• पाक्रमत्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाक्रम् (पक्रम्)
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• या: which (she who)
• या: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्मिन्: in him
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular

• प्रतापिनी: mighty; causing torment (to foes)
• प्रतापिनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापिन्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

उतथ्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Utathya
• Bali
• Virocana
• Brahmins (Brāhmaṇas)
• Śrī (royal fortune/prosperity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Persistent asūyā—habitual fault-finding and contempt—toward Brahmins (symbols of learning, ritual order, and moral counsel) undermines dharma; when dharma is weakened, śrī (legitimate prosperity and sovereignty) withdraws, leading to decline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Utathya cites Bali’s lifelong tendency to disparage Brahmins as the cause of his loss of royal fortune: the powerful, enemy-scorching prosperity that resided in him leaves him because of this ethical failing.