Shloka 54

Devanagari script

समुद्रसेनस्तु नृपस्तेषामेवाभवद्‌ गणात्‌ । विश्रुत: सागरान्तायां क्षितौ धर्मार्थतत्त्ववित्‌,उन्हींमेंसे सातवाँ असुर राजा समुद्रसेन हुआ, जो समुद्रपर्यन्त पृथ्वीपर सब ओर विख्यात और धर्म एवं अर्थतत्त्वका ज्ञाता था

Transliteration

samudrasenastu nṛpastēṣāmevābhavad gaṇāt | viśrutaḥ sāgarāntāyāṃ kṣitau dharmārthatattvavit ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Sa mismong pangkat na iyon ay lumitaw ang isang haring nagngangalang Samudrasena. Siya’y bantog sa buong daigdig hanggang sa hanggahan ng karagatan, at batid ang tunay na mga simulain ng dharma at artha—matuwid na asal at wastong pamamahala.

Word by Word

समुद्रसेनःSamudrasena (name of the king)

तुbut/indeed

नृपःking

तेषाम्of them

एवindeed/only

अभवत्became/was

गणात्from the group/among the host

विश्रुतःrenowned

सागरान्तायाम्in (the land) bounded by the ocean

क्षितौon the earth

धर्मार्थतत्त्ववित्knower of the principles of dharma and artha

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)

स

समुद्रसेन (Samudrasena)

क

क्षितिः / पृथ्वी (the earth)

स

सागर (the ocean)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 ideal of rulership: true renown is grounded not merely in power or territory, but in understanding and applying dharma (moral order) together with artha (practical welfare and polity).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues a genealogical/accounting passage, introducing a particular king—Samudrasena—describing his widespread fame and his competence in the principles of righteous conduct and effective governance.