Shloka 8

अर्जुनस्य तीर्थयात्रा तथा मणलूर-सम्बन्धः

Arjuna’s Pilgrimage and the Maṇalūra Alliance

Devanagari script

कुर्वाणा: पौरकार्याणि सर्वाणि पुरुषर्षभा: । आसांचक्रुर्महा्हेंषु पार्थिवेष्वासनेषु च,नरश्रेष्ठ पाण्डव नगरवासियोंके सम्पूर्ण कार्य करते हुए बहुमूल्य तथा राजोचित सिंहासनोंपर बैठा करते थे

Transliteration

kurvāṇāḥ paurakāryāṇi sarvāṇi puruṣarṣabhāḥ | āsāṃcakrur mahārheṣu pārthiveṣv āsaneṣu ca ||

Translation

เหล่าปาณฑพผู้ประเสริฐดุจโคอุสุภราชนั้น ครั้นปฏิบัติกิจการเมืองของชาวนครทั้งปวงแล้ว ก็ยังประทับเหนือบัลลังก์และอาสนะอันล้ำค่า สมพระเกียรติแห่งกษัตริย์—ประหนึ่งรวมการรับใช้ประชาชนไว้กับศักดิ์ศรีและภาระแห่งราชธรรม

Word by Word

कुर्वाणाःdoing, performing

पौरकार्याणिcivic/urban duties (works of the citizens/city)

सर्वाणिall

पुरुषर्षभाःbulls among men, best of men

आसांचक्रुःthey sat; they used to sit

महाहेषुon great (ones)

पार्थिवेषुroyal, kingly

आसनेषुon seats/thrones

चand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

royal thrones/seats (āsana)

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 a dharmic model of leadership: true nobility is shown not merely by sitting on royal seats but by actively performing civic responsibilities. Royal dignity is ethically grounded in service and accountability to the people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the Pāṇḍavas as administering and completing the townspeople’s affairs and, in that role of governance, occupying costly and kingly seats—portraying them as capable rulers engaged in public administration.