Shloka 11

शान्ति पर्व (अध्याय 38): युधिष्ठिरस्य राजधर्म-जिज्ञासा तथा भीष्मोपसर्पण-प्रस्तावना | Shanti Parva Chapter 38: Yudhishthira’s Inquiry into Rajadharma and the Prelude to Approaching Bhishma

Devanagari script

भव नस्त्वं महाराज राजेह शरदां शतम्‌ | प्रजा: पालय धर्मेण यथेन्द्रस्त्रेदिवं तथा

Transliteration

bhava nas tvaṃ mahārāja rājendra śaradāṃ śatam | prajāḥ pālaya dharmeṇa yathendras tredivaṃ tathā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Muôn tâu đại vương, chúa tể các vua, xin ngài làm minh quân của chúng tôi trọn một trăm mùa thu. Xin ngài hộ trì thần dân theo dharma, như Indra gìn giữ cõi trời.”

Word by Word

• भव: be (become)
• भव: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• नः: of us / our
• नः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, genitive, plural

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, nominative, singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• शरदाम्: of autumns/years
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद्
• Form: feminine, genitive, plural

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• प्रजाः: subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: feminine, accusative, plural

• पालय: protect, govern
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• धर्मेण: by/with righteousness, according to dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• त्रिदिवम्: the threefold heaven / heaven
• त्रिदिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिव
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• तथा: so, in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahārāja (addressed king)
• Indra
• Trediva (heaven/svarga)
• Prajāḥ (subjects)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a central principle of rājadharma: a king’s legitimacy and longevity are tied to righteous protection of the people. Governance is framed as guardianship—maintaining order and welfare through dharma, modeled on Indra’s protective role in heaven.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana voices a formal blessing and exhortation to the king: may he reign long (“a hundred autumns”) and rule by dharma, protecting his subjects as Indra protects the celestial realm. It functions as praise and a normative instruction on ideal kingship.