Shloka 16
Adhyāya 122 — Śruta-vṛtta-yukta Brāhmaṇa and the Ethics of Dāna
Maitreya–Vyāsa Saṃvāda
सर्वेष्वपररात्रेषु सूमागधबन्दिन: । स्तुवन्ति मां यथा देवा महेन्द्र प्रियवादिन:
sarveṣv apararātreṣu sūtamāgadhabandinaḥ | stuvanti māṃ yathā devā mahendra-priyavādinaḥ ||
Sa bawat huling bahagi ng gabi, ang mga makata at tagapuri—mga Sūta, Māgadha, at Vandin—ay pumupuri sa akin, gaya ng mga diyos na may matatamis na salita na umaawit ng mga kabutihan ni Mahendra (Indra).
कीट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds how praise—especially from professional bards—can elevate a person’s standing to the level of divine-style acclaim. Ethically, it cautions that pleasing speech (priyavāda) may be flattering and socially powerful, so one should distinguish genuine merit from reputation built by encomium.
The speaker (Kīṭa) describes a recurring scene: during the late-night watches, courtly panegyrists (Sūtas, Māgadhas, Vandins) sing his praises, comparing their eulogies to how the gods laud Indra with pleasing words.