Shloka 28

यमसभावर्णनम् (Yamasabhā-varṇanam) — Nārada’s Description of Dharmarāja’s Assembly

Devanagari script

एते राजर्षय: पुण्या: कीर्तिमन्तो बहुश्रुता: । तस्यां सभायां राजेन्द्र वैवस्चतमुपासते

Transliteration

ete rājarṣayaḥ puṇyāḥ kīrtimanto bahuśrutāḥ | tasyāṃ sabhāyāṃ rājendra vaivasvatam upāsate ||

Translation

นารทกล่าวว่า “ข้าแต่พระราชาผู้ประเสริฐ เหล่านี้คือราชฤๅษีผู้บริสุทธิ์ ผู้มีเกียรติยศและทรงสดับตรับฟังมาก ซึ่งในสภานั้นต่างเฝ้าบูชาไววัสวตะ (ยม) การปรากฏของท่านทั้งหลายประกาศว่า อธิปไตยแท้มิได้วัดด้วยกำลังเท่านั้น หากวัดด้วยบุญ ความรู้ และความประพฤติชอบตามธรรม”

Word by Word

एतेthese

राजर्षयःroyal sages

पुण्याःvirtuous, holy

कीर्तिमन्तःfamous, renowned

बहुश्रुताःvery learned (lit. much-heard)

तस्याम्in that

सभायाम्in the assembly hall

राजेन्द्रO king (lord of kings)

वैवस्वतम्Vaivasvata (Yama)

उपासतेthey attend upon / worship / serve

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

rājarṣi (royal sages)

rājendra (addressed king)

Vaivasvata (Yama)

sabhā (assembly hall)

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 an ethical ideal of kingship: the truly great rulers are those who become rājarṣis—virtuous, learned, and renowned for dharma—and such merit aligns them with the cosmic order of justice represented by Vaivasvata (Yama).

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing a particular assembly (sabhā) and points out that many holy, famous, and learned royal sages are present there, respectfully attending upon Vaivasvata (Yama), indicating the stature and sanctity of that gathering.