Shloka 31

अध्याय १: उत्पात-दर्शनम् तथा वृष्णि-विनाश-श्रवणम्

Omens Observed and the Hearing of the Vṛṣṇi Destruction

Devanagari script

ततो राजभयात्‌ सर्वे नियमं चक्रिरे तदा । नरा: शासनमाज्ञाय रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मण:

Transliteration

tato rājabhayāt sarve niyamaṃ cakrire tadā | narāḥ śāsanam ājñāya rāmasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ ||

Translation

అప్పుడు రాజభయముచేత వారందరూ ఆ సమయమున కఠిన నియమమును స్వీకరించిరి. అక్లిష్టకర్ముడైన బలరాముని ఆజ్ఞను గ్రహించి ఆ పురుషులు ఆయన శాసనమును శిరసావహించిరి.

Word by Word

ततःthen; from that (cause/time)

राजभयात्from fear of the king

सर्वेall

नियमम्a rule; a restraint; a regulation

चक्रिरेthey made; they established

तदाthen; at that time

नराःmen; people

शासनम्command; order; edict

आज्ञायhaving known; having understood

रामस्यof Rama

अक्लिष्टकर्मणःof (him) whose deeds are untroubled/undaunted

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Rāma (Balarāma)

narāḥ (the people/men)

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 highlights how royal authority can enforce social restraint: fear of the king’s power leads people to adopt niyama (disciplined conduct). It also implies that effective governance depends on clear commands and the ruler’s steadfastness in action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the people, recognizing Rāma’s (Balarāma’s) directive, collectively take up a rule of conduct. Their compliance is motivated by rājabhaya—fear of the kingly power behind the command.