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Shloka 7

Adhyaya 18Arjuna Declines the Throne; Garga Directs Him to Dattatreya; The Gods Defeat the Daityas through Dattatreya’s Vision and the Movement of Lakshmi

गृह्णतो बलिषड्भागं नृपतेर्नरको ध्रुवम् ।

निरूपितमिदं राज्ञः पूर्वै रक्षणवेतनम् ॥

gṛhṇato bali-ṣaḍbhāgaṃ nṛpater narako dhruvam /

nirūpitam idaṃ rājñaḥ pūrvair rakṣaṇa-vetanam

สำหรับพระราชาผู้รับบะลีและส่วนหนึ่งในหกโดยมิได้คุ้มครองให้สมควร นรกย่อมแน่นอน บรรพชนได้กำหนดไว้ว่านี่คือค่าจ้างของพระราชาเพื่อการคุ้มครอง; กล่าวคือ การเก็บส่วยอากรชอบธรรมได้ก็เพราะเป็นค่าตอบแทนแห่งการพิทักษ์รักษา

गृह्णतःof (one) who takes/collects
गृह्णतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह् (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
बलि-षट्-भागम्the one-sixth share of tribute
बलि-षट्-भागम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootबलि (प्रातिपदिक) + षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; compound meaning 'one-sixth of bali/tribute' (षड्भाग as dvigu inside)
नृपतेःof the king
नृपतेः:
Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootनृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
नरकःhell
नरकः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनरक (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
ध्रुवम्certainly
ध्रुवम्:
Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
FormUsed adverbially as indeclinable (निपातवत्), meaning 'certainly'
निरूपितम्has been laid down/defined
निरूपितम्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनिर् + रूप् (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त/क्त), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with इदम्
इदम्this
इदम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
राज्ञःof the king
राज्ञः:
Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
पूर्वैःby the ancients
पूर्वैः:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; 'by the ancients/former (sages)'
रक्षण-वेतनम्wages/payment for protection
रक्षण-वेतनम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootरक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + वेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रक्षणस्य वेतनम्) in apposition to इदम्
Narrative voice (normative rājadharma statement)

{ "primaryRasa": "dharma", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

RājadharmaTax as wageKarmic consequenceProtection obligation

FAQs

The verse defines taxation as remuneration for protection; extracting revenue without fulfilling that duty is not merely inefficient but gravely sinful with assured negative afterlife consequences.

Dharma (especially rājadharma) embedded in vaṃśānucarita; it supports Purāṇic moral governance as part of societal maintenance.

‘Rakṣaṇa-vetana’ encodes a dharmic economy: authority must circulate benefit. When circulation stops (taking without giving), the ruler’s spiritual trajectory collapses (naraka as the symbol of that collapse).