Shloka 26

Droṇa–Vidura–Gāndhārī Counsel in the Royal Assembly (धर्मार्थयुक्ता सभा-उपदेश-प्रकरणम्)

Devanagari script

प्रजा ऊचु: उपक्षीणा: प्रजा: सर्वा राजा भव भवाय नः । ईती: प्रणुद भद्रं ते शान्तनो: कुलवर्धन

Transliteration

prajā ūcuḥ—upakṣīṇāḥ prajāḥ sarvā rājā bhava bhavāya naḥ | ītīḥ praṇuda bhadraṃ te śāntanoḥ kulavardhana ||

Translation

Dân chúng thưa rằng: “Muôn dân đều đang hao mòn kiệt quệ. Xin Ngài nhận ngôi vương vì phúc lợi của chúng tôi. Xin xua tan mọi tai ương—cầu điều lành đến với Ngài, hỡi bậc làm hưng thịnh dòng dõi Śāntanu.”

Word by Word

• प्रजाः: the subjects/people
• प्रजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• उपक्षीणाः: wasted away, diminished
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपक्षीण
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रजाः: the subjects/people
• प्रजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वाः: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भव: be (become)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भवाय: for welfare/prosperity
• भवाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• ईतीः: calamities, plagues (e.g., drought etc.)
• ईतीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रणुद: drive away, ward off
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नुद्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भद्रम्: good fortune, auspiciousness
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ते: to you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive/Dative, Singular

• शान्तनोः: of Śāntanu
• Type: ProperNoun
• Root: शान्तनु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कुलवर्धन: O increaser of the lineage
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलवर्धन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• prajā (the subjects/people)
• Śāntanu (Śāntanuḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights rājadharma: a king’s legitimacy is tied to protecting and sustaining the people. When society is afflicted by calamities, the ruler is urged to accept responsibility and actively remove causes of suffering, making public welfare the ethical purpose of sovereignty.

What is happening in the narrative?

The subjects, weakened by widespread distress, appeal to a royal figure addressed as the enhancer of Śāntanu’s lineage. They implore him to accept kingship for their prosperity and to ward off ‘ītis’—public calamities such as drought and related afflictions.