Shloka 29
Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)
मानुषाणामधिपतिं देवभूतं सनातनम् । देवापि नावमन्यन्ते धर्मकामं नरेश्वरम्,राजा मनुष्योंका अधिपति, सनातन देवस्वरूप तथा धर्मकी इच्छा रखनेवाला होता है। देवता भी उसका अपमान नहीं करते हैं
mānuṣāṇām adhipatiṁ devabhūtaṁ sanātanam | devā api nāvamanyante dharmakāmaṁ nareśvaram ||
Wika ni Indra: “Ang hari ang pinuno ng sangkatauhan—marangal mula pa noong unang panahon, at may tindig na tila diyos. Sapagkat siya’y nakatuon sa dharma at nagnanais ng matuwid, maging ang mga diyos ay hindi humahamak sa gayong pinuno.”
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler who is committed to dharma possesses a sanctified, godlike authority; therefore, even the gods are said to honor him. The verse elevates ethical kingship as a pillar of cosmic and social order.
Indra is describing the stature of a righteous king, emphasizing that the king—when oriented toward dharma—commands reverence not only from people but symbolically even from the gods.