Shloka 60

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ त्वमपि राजेन्द्र पूजयैनान्‌ यथाविधि । अध्वनि क्षीणगात्रश्व पथि पांसुसमन्वित:

Transliteration

tasmāt tvam api rājendra pūjayainān yathāvidhi | adhvani kṣīṇagātraśva pathi pāṃsusamanvitaḥ ||

Translation

Vì thế, hỡi bậc tối thượng trong hàng vua chúa, ngài cũng hãy kính trọng họ đúng theo nghi lễ. Bởi trên đường thiên lý—khi thân thể và ngựa đã mỏi mòn, và lối đi nghẹt bụi—thì sự cung kính đúng mực và nếp hành xử hợp pháp càng trở nên cần thiết.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore / from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: Ablative (pañcamī), singular, masculine/neuter (pronominal)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• अपि: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: Particle

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings / O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

• पूजय: honor / worship
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज्
• Form: Imperative (loṭ), 2nd person, singular, parasmaipada

• एनान्: these (persons)
• एनान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, accusative, plural (pronominal)

• यथा: as / according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा
• Form: Adverb

• विधि: rule / prescribed manner
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• अध्वनि: on the journey / on the road
• अध्वनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन्
• Form: Masculine, locative, singular

• क्षीण: worn out / exhausted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षी
• Form: Past passive participle; masculine, nominative, singular (agreeing with implied subject)

• गात्रः: body / limbs
• गात्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Conjunction

• पथि: on the path
• पथि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्
• Form: Masculine, locative, singular

• पांसु: dust
• पांसु: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पांसु
• Form: Masculine, instrumental (or with-meaning as first member), singular (as compound member)

• समन्वितः: accompanied by / covered with
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अन्वि
• Form: Past passive participle; masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rājendra (addressed king)
• road/path (adhvan/pathi)
• horses (aśva)
• dust (pāṃsu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse urges a king to practice dharma through proper, rule-based honor (pūjā) toward those deserving respect, especially when circumstances like travel fatigue test one’s patience and discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king, advising him to honor certain persons appropriately; the mention of an arduous, dusty journey with exhausted bodies and horses frames the counsel as practical guidance for conduct under strain.