Shloka 8

सुरभि–इन्द्रसंवादः

Surabhi–Indra Dialogue as a Governance Exemplar

Devanagari script

अध्यद्धाभि: क्रियाभिरवव विश्रान्तं मुनिसत्तमम्‌ । प्रश्रयेणाब्रवीद्‌ राजा धृतराष्ट्रोडम्बिकासुत:,पाद्य, अर्घ्य आदि उपचारोंद्वारा पूजित हो जब मुनिश्रेष्ठ मैत्रेय विश्राम कर चुके, तब अम्बिकानन्दन राजा धृतराष्ट्रने नम्रतापूर्वक पूछा--

Transliteration

athādbhābhiḥ kriyābhir eva viśrāntaṃ munisattamam | praśrayeṇābravīd rājā dhṛtarāṣṭro ’mbikāsutaḥ ||

Translation

เมื่อไมเตรยะมุนีผู้ประเสริฐได้รับการบูชาตามธรรมเนียมต้อนรับแขก—ทั้งปาทยะ อรฆยะ และพิธีอื่น ๆ—แล้วได้พักผ่อน พระเจ้าธฤตราษฏระ โอรสแห่งอัมพิกา จึงกราบทูลด้วยความนอบน้อม

Word by Word

अध्यद्धाभिःby (proper) offerings/attentions

क्रियाभिःby acts/rites (of service)

अवdown; completely (as a preverb/intensifier)

विश्रान्तम्rested

मुनिसत्तमम्the best of sages

प्रश्रयेणwith humility/respect

अब्रवीत्said/spoke

राजाthe king

धृतराष्ट्रःDhritarashtra

अम्बिकासुतःAmbika's son

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Ambikā

Maitreya (munisattama)

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 dharma in social conduct: a ruler should honor a sage with proper hospitality and then speak with humility. Reverence (praśraya) and correct ritual courtesy are presented as ethical prerequisites for seeking guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that after the sage (Maitreya) has been received and honored with customary offerings and has rested, King Dhṛtarāṣṭra respectfully begins to question him.