Shloka 6

Chapter 78: Royal Responsibility for Wealth, Social Order, and the Protection of Dvijas

Kekaya Exemplum

Devanagari script

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । गीत॑ कैकेयराजेन ह्वियमाणेन रक्षसा

Transliteration

atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | gītaṃ kaikeyarājena hriyamāṇena rakṣasā ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Bhishma: “Dito rin, binabanggit ng mga may kaalaman ang isang sinaunang salaysay bilang patunay. Isang kuwentong minana sa panahon: isinasalaysay ang mga salitang binitiwan ng hari ng Kekaya habang siya’y dinadala ng isang rākṣasa—bilang halimbawa upang luminaw ang aral ng dharma sa pamamagitan ng alaala ng kasaysayan.”

Word by Word

• {'atra api': 'here also

• in this context too', 'udāharanti': 'they cite

• they adduce as an example', 'imam': 'this', 'itihāsam': 'traditional narrative

• historical legend', 'purātanam': 'ancient

• of old', 'gītam': 'sung/uttered

• spoken (as a set utterance)', 'kaikeyarājena': 'by the king of Kekaya', 'hriyamāṇena': 'being carried off

• being abducted', 'rakṣasā': 'by a rākṣasa (demon/ogre)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kaikeyarāja (King of Kekaya)
• Rakṣasa
• Kekaya (country/kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma signals that dharma is clarified not only by abstract reasoning but also by time-tested precedents: an ancient itihāsa is introduced to illuminate right conduct and inner resolve when one faces danger and coercion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma begins an illustrative tale: learned people recount an old story in which the king of Kekaya, while being abducted by a rākṣasa, speaks memorable words; the forthcoming episode is presented as an example relevant to the discussion.