Shloka 10

Devanagari script

शान्तनुप्रमुखैर्गुप्ते लोके नृपतिभिस्तदा । नियमात्‌ सर्ववर्णानां धर्मोत्तरमवर्तत,उस समय शान्तनुप्रधान राजाओंद्वारा सुरक्षित जगत्‌में सभी वर्णोके लोग नियमपूर्वक प्रत्येक बर्तावमें धर्मको ही प्रधानता देने लगे

Transliteration

śāntanupramukhair gupté loke nṛpatibhis tadā | niyamāt sarvavarṇānāṃ dharmottaram avartata ||

Translation

В ту пору, когда мир был под охраной царей во главе с Шантану, люди всех варн жили в порядке и подчинении установлениям; во всяком деле и поведении дхарма утвердилась как высший руководящий закон.

Word by Word

शान्तनु-प्रमुखैःby those headed by Śāntanu

गुप्तेwhen protected / in the protected (state)

लोकेin the world

नृपतिभिःby kings

तदाthen

नियमात्from/through discipline; by rule

सर्व-वर्णानाम्of all varṇas (social classes)

धर्मःdharma, righteousness

उत्तमम्as the highest / supreme (thing)

अवर्ततprevailed; was in force; continued

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śāntanu

nṛpati (kings/rulers)

sarva-varṇa (all social orders)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When rulers provide protection and uphold discipline, society naturally becomes dharma-centered—ethical conduct gains priority across all groups, not merely as personal virtue but as a public norm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a period of stable, well-guarded rule under kings led by Śāntanu, during which all varṇas followed regulated conduct and dharma became the dominant standard in everyday behavior.