Shloka 18
Devanagari script
अहन्यमानेषु पुनः सर्वमेव पराभवेत् । पूर्वे पूर्वतरे चैव सुशास्या हुभवन् जना:
Transliteration
ahanyamāneṣu punaḥ sarvam eva parābhavet | pūrve pūrvataraś caiva suśāsyā hubhavan janāḥ ||
Translation
अहन्यमानेषु पुनः सर्वमेव पराभवेत्। पूर्वे पूर्वतरे चैव सुशास्या भवन् जना:॥
Word by Word
अहन्यमानेषुwhen the days are passing / in the passing days
अहन्यमानेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअहन् (दिन) + यम (यमने/नियमन) (कृदन्त-आधार)
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
पुनःagain; further
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
सर्वम्everything
सर्वम्:
Karta
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootसर्व
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
एवindeed; just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
पराभवेत्would be defeated / would come to ruin
पराभवेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू (भव)
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
पूर्वेthe former ones
पूर्वे:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पूर्वतरेthe still earlier ones
पूर्वतरे:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्वतर (तरा-प्रत्यय)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed; just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
सुशास्याःwell-governed / well-disciplined
सुशास्याः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-शास्य (शास् + यत्/ण्यत्; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अभवन्were / became
अभवन्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू (भव)
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
जनाःpeople
जनाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
हुमत्सेन उवाच
Characters & Entities
ह
हुमत्सेन (Humatsena)ज
जनाः (people/subjects)प
पूर्वे/पूर्वतर (elders, predecessors)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
A society collapses when wrongdoing is left unchecked; ethical governance requires timely restraint and discipline, especially among influential or senior members whose conduct sets the standard for all.
Humatsena is advising on principles of rule and social stability, warning that failure to correct misconduct leads to general ruin, and emphasizing the need to govern and discipline even elders and senior persons for the sake of dharma.