Shloka 5

Devanagari script

तानश्रमेथधे राजेन्द्रो ब्राह्मणेभ्योडददत्‌ पिता । शतं शतं रथगजा एकैकं पृष्ठतो<न्वयु:

Transliteration

tān āśrame tathā rājendro brāhmaṇebhyo dadat pitā | śataṁ śataṁ rathagajā ekaikaṁ pṛṣṭhato 'nvayuḥ ||

Translation

అప్పుడు ఆ ఆశ్రమంలో రాజేంద్రుడు తండ్రివలె రక్షకుడై బ్రాహ్మణులకు దానమిచ్చెను. వందల వందల రథాలు, గజాలు ఒక్కొక్కటిగా వెనుక వెనుక అనుసరించాయి.

Word by Word

तान्those (persons)

अश्रमेत्wearied / toiled

तथाthus / in that manner

राजेन्द्रःthe king of kings / great king

ब्राह्मणेभ्यःto the Brahmins

उदददत्gave

पिताthe father

शतम्a hundred

शतम्a hundred (each)

रथगजाःchariots and elephants

एकैकम्each one (separately)

पृष्ठतःfrom behind / behind

अन्वयुःfollowed

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

rājendra (the king)

brāhmaṇas

āśrama (hermitage)

rathas (chariots)

gajas (elephants)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights rājadharma expressed through dāna: a ruler should use royal resources to uphold dharma by honoring and supporting brāhmaṇas and ascetics, treating such giving as a protective, fatherly duty rather than mere display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes a king at an āśrama distributing lavish gifts to brāhmaṇas; large numbers of chariots and elephants are part of the donation, depicted as following behind in orderly succession.