Shloka 676

बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account

On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics

Devanagari script

मनवे सूर्यपुत्राय ददु: खड्गं सुविस्तरम्‌ । बेटा! फिर महेन्द्रने लोकपालोंको और लोकपालोंने सूर्य-पुत्र मननुको वह विशाल खड्ग दे दिया

Transliteration

manave sūryaputrāya daduḥ khaḍgaṃ suvistaram |

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Họ đã ban cho Manu, con của Mặt Trời, một thanh kiếm rộng lớn và hùng mạnh.” Theo mạch truyện, vũ khí ấy được xem như khí cụ do thần linh truyền trao cho việc trị quốc theo chính pháp—biểu thị rằng sự bảo hộ trật tự (dharma) được ký thác cho bậc quân vương xứng đáng nhờ sự chuẩn nhận từ quyền lực cao hơn, chứ không chỉ bởi sức riêng của cá nhân.

Word by Word

• मनवे: to Manu
• मनवे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सूर्यपुत्राय: to the son of the Sun (Suryaputra)
• सूर्यपुत्राय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्यपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• ददुः: they gave
• ददुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural

• खड्गम्: a sword
• खड्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सुविस्तरम्: very large/expansive
• सुविस्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुविस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Manu
• Surya
• khaḍga (sword)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate power is not mere violence; the sword signifies entrusted responsibility. A ruler is authorized to protect dharma only when authority is received through rightful lineage and higher moral sanction, and is used for safeguarding society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma recounts a transmission of a great sword to Manu, the Sun’s son. The episode frames the weapon as a divinely conferred tool of governance, indicating how protective power is handed down to uphold order.