Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

निश्चक्राम पुरात्‌ तस्माद्‌ यथा देवपतिस्तथा । आससाद कुरुक्षेत्रे ततः शान्तनवं नृप:,वे देवराज इन्द्रकी भाँति अपनी राजधानीसे बाहर निकले और यथासमय कुरुक्षेत्रमें शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मजीके पास जा पहुँचे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

niścakrāma purāt tasmād yathā devapatistathā |

āsasāda kurukṣetre tataḥ śāntanavaṁ nṛpaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：随后国王离开那座城，如同诸天之主因陀罗出行一般；不久便抵达俱卢之野，来到圣檀奴之子毗湿摩跟前。此颂强调国王行事有志而守纪：以求教于正直长者为治国之范，使决断受达摩引导。

Word by Word

• निश्चक्राम: went out, departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√क्रम्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पुरात्: from the city
• पुरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• तस्मात्: from that (place)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

• देवपतिः: the lord of the gods (Indra)
• देवपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: so, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• आससाद: reached, came up to
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√सद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कुरुक्षेत्रे: in Kurukṣetra
• कुरुक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुक्षेत्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• शान्तनवम्: the son of Śantanu (Bhīṣma)
• शान्तनवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Indra (Devapati)
• Kurukṣetra
• Bhīṣma (Śāntanava, son of Śāntanu)
• the king (nṛpaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should act with resolve and humility, seeking guidance from a venerable authority rooted in dharma; the comparison to Indra highlights dignified, duty-bound leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

The king departs from his capital and travels to Kurukṣetra, where he approaches Bhīṣma (Śāntanu’s son), setting the stage for receiving instruction and counsel.