Shloka 9

ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana

River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor

Devanagari script

समृद्धमात्रे त्रैलोक्ये प्रीतियुक्ते स्वयम्भुवि | पूर्वकालमें जब दैत्यों और दानवोंका संहार करनेवाला देवासुर-संग्राम समाप्त हो गया

Transliteration

samṛddhamātre trailokye prītiyukte svayambhuvi | rudrair vasubhir ādityair aśvibhyām api cārṣibhiḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Khi ba cõi trở nên thịnh vượng và Đấng Tự Sinh, Brahmā, tràn đầy hoan hỷ; khi chư thần được tôn kính khắp bốn phương—sau khi Viṣṇu mang hình Vāmana đã đo ba cõi bằng những bước chân của Ngài, và Indra, bậc hành trì trăm lễ tế, đã trở thành vua của chư thiên—thì người thuộc bốn giai tầng đều an lập trong bổn phận dharma của mình. Thuở ấy, Indra, chúa tể ba cõi, cưỡi voi vương Airāvata rực ánh thần quang, có bốn ngà đẹp đẽ, lên đường du hành khắp ba cõi, được vây quanh bởi các Rudra, Vasu, Āditya, đôi Aśvin, các bậc hiền triết, cùng Gandharva, Nāga, Siddha và Vidyādhara.”

Word by Word

• समृद्ध: prosperous, flourishing
• समृद्ध: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मात्रे: measure/extent; state/condition
• मात्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• त्रैलोक्ये: in the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• प्रीति-युक्ते: endowed with joy/affection
• प्रीति-युक्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीतियुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्वयम्भुवि: in/with the Self-born (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Indra
• Viṣṇu
• Vāmana
• Brahmā (Svayambhū)
• Airāvata
• Rudras
• Vasus
• Ādityas
• Aśvinīkumāras
• Ṛṣis
• Gandharvas
• Nāgas
• Siddhas
• Vidyādharas
• Trailokya (three worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical-cosmic ideal: when divine authority is rightly established and worship is properly directed, human society stabilizes through adherence to one’s dharma (varṇa-dharma), producing prosperity and general well-being—an image of order (ṛta/dharma) reflected both in heaven and on earth.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the gods’ victory and Viṣṇu’s Vāmana/Trivikrama act of measuring the three worlds, Indra becomes firmly enthroned as king of the gods. With the worlds flourishing and Brahmā pleased, Indra rides Airāvata and tours the three worlds, accompanied by major divine groups (Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, Aśvins) and other celestial beings.