Shloka 11

अध्याय २५६ — श्रद्धा, अहिंसा, स्पर्धा-त्यागः

Tūlādhāra–Jājali: Faith, Non-harm, and Renunciation of Rivalry

Devanagari script

अभावं हि न गच्छेयुरुच्छिन्नप्रजना: प्रजा: । अधिदैवे नियुक्तोडस्मि त्वया लोकेश्चरेश्वर

Transliteration

abhāvaṃ hi na gaccheyur ucchinnaprajānāḥ prajāḥ | adhidaive niyukto 'smi tvayā lokeśvareśvara ||

Translation

நாரதர் கூறினார்—பிரஜைகளின் சந்ததி துண்டிக்கப்பட்டால், எல்லாப் பிரஜைகளும் முற்றிலும் இல்லாமையாகி விடுவர். உலகாதிபதிகளின் அதிபதியே! நீர் என்னை தெய்வ ஆட்சிப் பணியில் நியமித்துள்ளீர்; ஆகவே நான் வேண்டுகிறேன்—இந்த அழிவை நிறுத்துவீராக.

Word by Word

• {'abhāvam': 'non-existence, utter absence', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'na gaccheyuḥ': 'would not go / would not come to (a state)

• here: would not be reduced to', 'ucchinna': 'cut off, severed, destroyed', 'prajā': 'offspring

• subjects/people', 'ucchinnaprajānāḥ': 'those whose progeny has been cut off', 'prajāḥ': 'the people/creatures/subjects', 'adhidaive': 'in the divine sphere

• concerning divine governance', 'niyuktaḥ asmi': 'I have been appointed/assigned', 'tvayā': 'by you', 'lokeśvara': 'lord of the worlds', 'īśvara': 'sovereign lord', 'lokeśvareśvara': 'Lord of the lords of the worlds (supreme ruler)'}

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Lokeśvareśvara (supreme lord addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames the protection of progeny and continuity of society as a dharmic imperative: when lineage and offspring are destroyed, social and cosmic continuity collapses into ‘abhāva’ (non-existence). It urges the ruler/supreme authority to restrain destructive forces and preserve life and succession.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses a supreme lord (styled ‘lokeśvareśvara’), reminding him that Nārada has been appointed to a divine administrative role. From that responsibility he petitions the lord to halt a destructive course that would sever progeny and thereby annihilate the very existence of the people.