Shloka 11

Devanagari script

विशाल पृथिवीराज्यं क्षेमं निहतकण्टकम्‌ । प्रतिगृह्लीष्व मत्तस्त्वं साधु ब्राह्मणपुजड़व,“ब्राह्मणप्रवर! आप मुझसे समूची पृथ्वीका कल्याणमय, अकण्टक, विशाल एवं उत्तम साम्राज्य ले लें

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

viśālaṃ pṛthivīrājyaṃ kṣemaṃ nihatakaṇṭakam |

pratigṛhlīṣva mattas tvaṃ sādhu brāhmaṇapūjaka |

brāhmaṇapravara!

Translation

வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்— “என்னிடமிருந்து இந்தப் பெரும் பூமியாட்சியை ஏற்றுக் கொள்—க்ஷேமமுடையது, செழிப்புடையது, முள்ளற்றது (பகைவர்-இடையூறு அற்றது). ஓ சாது, ஓ பிராமணபூஜகர், ஓ பிராமணவரர், இதை ஏற்றுக் கொள்।”

Word by Word

विशालम्vast

पृथिवी-राज्यम्kingdom over the earth (sovereignty)

क्षेमम्secure, prosperous

निहत-कण्टकम्with thorns/obstacles removed (free of enemies/impediments)

प्रतिगृह्लीष्वaccept (receive)

मत्तःfrom me

त्वम्you

साधुwell; please; indeed

ब्राह्मण-पूजितO (one) honored by Brahmins

ब्राह्मण-प्रवरO best of Brahmins

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

pṛthivī-rājya (sovereignty over the earth)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ideal rulership as kṣema (public welfare and security) and ‘nihata-kaṇṭaka’ (removal of harmful obstacles), while also elevating reverence for brāhmaṇas as a marker of dharmic character; power is presented as something to be offered and accepted within an ethical order, not merely seized.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker offers the addressee the entire earth’s sovereignty—described as vast, secure, and free from threats—addressing him respectfully as a noble person and as one devoted to honoring brāhmaṇas, urging him to accept the imperial rule.