Shloka 6

Devanagari script

मरुत्तेन हि राज्ञा वै गीत: श्लोक: पुरातन: । राजाधिकारे राजेन्द्र बृहस्पतिमते पुरा,राजेन्द्र! पूर्वकालमें राजा मरुत्तने एक प्राचीन श्लोकका गान किया था, जो बृहस्पतिके मतानुसार राजाके अधिकारके विषयमें प्रकाश डालता है

Transliteration

maruttena hi rājñā vai gītaḥ ślokaḥ purātanaḥ | rājādhikāre rājendra bṛhaspatimate purā ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا— اے راجندر! قدیم زمانے میں راجہ مروتّ نے ایک پرانا شلوک گایا تھا جو برہسپتی کے مشورے کے مطابق شاہی اختیار کے دائرے پر روشنی ڈالتا ہے۔

Word by Word

मरुत्तेनby (King) Marutta

हिindeed/for

राज्ञाby the king

वैindeed/verily

गीतःsung/recited

श्लोकःa verse

पुरातनःancient

राजाधिकारेin/with regard to royal authority

राजेन्द्रO king of kings

बृहस्पतिमतेin/according to the doctrine of Bृहस्पति

पुराformerly/once

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Marutta

Bṛhaspati

Rājendra (addressed king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Royal power is not arbitrary; it is to be understood through established nīti and dharma—here framed as an ancient, authoritative verse aligned with Bṛhaspati’s counsel on the proper bounds of kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing the king on rājadharma in Śānti Parva, introduces an old verse once recited by King Marutta, presenting it as a traditional and respected statement about the king’s rightful authority.