Shloka 16

Tapovana-praveśaḥ — The King’s Entry into the Sacred Grove and Vision of the Āśrama

Devanagari script

तथा धर्मपरे क्षत्रे सहस्राक्ष: शतक्रतुः । स्वादु देशे च काले च वर्षेणापालयत्‌ प्रजा:,इस तरह धर्मपरायण क्षत्रियोंके शासनमें सारा देश-काल अत्यन्त रुचिकर प्रतीत होने लगा। उस समय सहसनेत्रोंवाले देवराज इन्द्र समयपर वर्षा करके प्रजाओंका पालन करते थे

Transliteration

tathā dharmapare kṣatre sahasrākṣaḥ śatakratuḥ | svādu deśe ca kāle ca varṣeṇāpālayat prajāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Khi các kṣatriya một lòng phụng hành dharma và cai trị theo tinh thần ấy, thì cả đất nước lẫn thời thế đều trở nên êm dịu, lành tốt. Thuở đó, Indra—ngàn mắt, bậc hành trăm tế lễ—che chở muôn dân bằng cách ban mưa đúng mùa đúng tiết.

Word by Word

तथाthus, in that manner

धर्मपरेin/among those devoted to dharma

क्षत्रेamong kshatriyas

सहस्राक्षःthe thousand-eyed one (Indra)

शतक्रतुःthe performer of a hundred sacrifices (Indra)

स्वादुpleasant, agreeable

देशेin the land/place

चand

कालेin time/season

चand

वर्षेणby rain; with rainfall

अपालयत्protected, maintained

प्रजाःthe subjects/people

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Indra (Sahasrākṣa, Śatakratu)

kṣatriyas

prajāḥ (the people/subjects)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links dharmic governance with societal well-being: when rulers uphold dharma, the world becomes 'pleasant'—order, prosperity, and timely rains follow, symbolizing harmony between human conduct and cosmic support.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes an ideal period of rule: kṣatriyas govern righteously, and Indra responds by sending rain at the proper time, thereby sustaining and protecting the people.