Shloka 17
Āstīka’s Commission and Approach to Janamejaya’s Sarpa-satra (आस्तीक-प्रेषणं यज्ञप्रवेशोपक्रमश्च)
प्रजा इमास्तव पिता षष्टिवर्षाण्यपालयत् | ततो दिष्टान्तमापन्न: सर्वेषां दु:खमावहन्,तुम्हारे पिताने साठ वर्षकी आयुतक इन समस्त प्रजाजनोंका पालन किया था। तदनन्तर हम सबको दु:ख देकर उन्होंने विदेह-कैवल्य प्राप्त किया। पुरुषश्रेष्ठ। पिताके देहावसानके बाद तुमने धर्मपूर्वक इस राज्यको ग्रहण किया है, जो सहस्रों वर्षोसे कुरुकुलके अधीन चला आ रहा है। बाल्यावस्थामें ही तुम्हारा राज्याभिषेक हुआ था। तबसे तुम्हीं इस राज्यके समस्त प्राणियोंका पालन करते हो
janamejaya uvāca |
prajā imās tava pitā ṣaṣṭivarṣāṇy apālayat |
tato diṣṭāntam āpannaḥ sarveṣāṁ duḥkham āvahan |
Disse Janamejaya: “Estes teus súditos foram protegidos por teu pai durante sessenta anos. Depois, ao alcançar o fim que o destino lhe havia marcado, trouxe tristeza a todos. Após a morte de teu pai, aceitaste esta antiga soberania dos Kuru de acordo com o dharma; embora consagrado ainda jovem, desde então sustentas e proteges todos os seres no reino.”
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds rājadharma: a king’s primary duty is the protection and welfare of the prajā. It also underscores impermanence—even a long, dutiful reign ends in diṣṭānta (fate-ordained death)—so rightful succession should be taken up in accordance with dharma for the continuity of public welfare.
Janamejaya addresses the reigning king, recalling that the king’s father ruled and protected the people for sixty years before dying. He then notes that after the father’s death the son assumed the ancestral sovereignty and has been maintaining the realm since his youth.