Shloka 52

Devanagari script

हरिश्वन्द्रो मरुत्तश्न तथा दृढरथो नृप:ः । महोदर्यो हालर्कश्न॒ ऐलश्वैव नराधिप:

Transliteration

hariścandro maruttaś ca tathā dṛḍharatho nṛpaḥ | mahodaryo hālarkaś ca ailaś caiva narādhipaḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఈ రాజర్షుల నామములనును వినుము—రాజు హరిశ్చంద్రుడు, మరుత్తుడు, అలాగే ధృఢరథుడను స్థిరరథి నృపుడు; మహోదర్యుడు, హాలర్కుడు మరియు నరాధిపతి ఐలుడు (పురూరవుడు) కూడ.

Word by Word

• हरिश्वन्द्रः: Harishchandra (name of a king)
• हरिश्वन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिश्वन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मरुत्तः: Marutta (name of a king)
• मरुत्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• दृढरथः: Dṛḍharatha (name of a king; lit. 'firm-chariot')
• दृढरथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृढरथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महोदर्यः: Mahodarya (name; lit. 'great-bellied')
• महोदर्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोदर्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अलर्कः: Alarka (name of a king)
• अलर्कः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलर्क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ऐलः: Aila (descendant of Ilā; Purūravas)
• ऐलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• नराधिपः: lord of men; king
• नराधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Hariścandra
• Marutta
• Dṛḍharatha
• Mahodarya
• Hālarka
• Aila (Purūravas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports the dharmic idea that remembering and reciting the names of exemplary rulers—figures associated with truth, sacrifice, and steadfastness—cultivates moral orientation and earns religious merit (puṇya), reinforcing ideals of righteous kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues an extended enumeration of celebrated royal seers in the Anuśāsana Parva, presenting them as models of virtue and as a sacred list suitable for remembrance/recitation.