Shloka 11

Marutta–Indra Rivalry and Bṛhaspati’s Priestly Refusal (मरुत्तेन्द्रस्पर्धा—बृहस्पतेः पौरोहित्यनिश्चयः)

Devanagari script

ध्यानादेवाभवद्‌ राजन्‌ मुखवातेन सर्वश: । स गुणै: पार्थिवान्‌ सर्वान्‌ वशे चक्रे नराधिप:

Transliteration

dhyānādevābhavad rājan mukhavātena sarvaśaḥ | sa guṇaiḥ pārthivān sarvān vaśe cakre narādhipaḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa nói: “Hỡi Đại vương, chỉ bằng thiền định—và bằng hơi thở phát ra từ miệng—mọi sự đều lập tức hiện thành. Bậc chúa tể loài người ấy, vua Karaṇḍhama, nhờ sức mạnh của đức hạnh, đã khiến hết thảy các bậc quân vương trên cõi đất phải nằm trong quyền kiểm soát của mình.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'dhyānāt eva', 'definition': 'by meditation alone

• merely through contemplation'}, {'term': 'abhavat', 'definition': 'came into being

• manifested'}, {'term': 'rājan', 'definition': 'O king (vocative address)'}, {'term': 'mukhavātena', 'definition': 'by the wind/breath from the mouth

• by exhalation'}, {'term': 'sarvaśaḥ', 'definition': 'entirely

• all at once'}, {'term': 'saḥ', 'definition': 'he'}, {'term': 'guṇaiḥ', 'definition': 'by virtues/qualities (good qualities such as self-control, generosity, prowess, etc.)'}, {'term': 'pārthivān', 'definition': 'earthly kings

• rulers of the earth'}, {'term': 'sarvān', 'definition': 'all'}, {'term': 'vaśe cakre', 'definition': 'made (them) subject

• brought under control'}, {'term': 'narādhipaḥ', 'definition': 'lord of men

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Karaṇḍhama
• rājan (the addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links rightful sovereignty to inner excellence: true dominion is grounded in guṇa (virtue and capability), and extraordinary attainments are portrayed as arising from disciplined mind (dhyāna) rather than mere external force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa describes King Karaṇḍhama as possessing remarkable powers—things appear through his meditation and breath—and emphasizes that he subjugated other kings through his qualities, establishing wide political control.