Shloka 48

ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins

Devanagari script

सतं विदित्वा तु भगुर्निश्चक्रामाश्रमात्‌ तदा । पूजयामास च ततो विधिना नृपसत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

sataṁ viditvā tu bhagur niścakrāmāśramāt tadā | pūjayāmāsa ca tato vidhinā nṛpasattamam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：婆古认出他确是至善之人，便当即从林居的精舍中走出。随后依照正当的礼仪与规矩，恭敬款待并礼敬这位诸王之最——表明正法不仅显于苦行，也显于对贤者与可敬之人的恭谨行止。

Word by Word

• सतं: the good man / the virtuous one
• सतं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विदित्वा: having known
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: क्त्वा, Parasmaipada (usage), Absolutive (Gerund)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• भगुः: Bhagu (a sage)
• भगुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• आश्रमात्: from the hermitage
• आश्रमात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• पूजयामास: honoured / worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज्
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• विधिना: by the proper rite / according to rule
• विधिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नृपसत्तमम्: the best of kings
• नृपसत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhagu (sage)
• āśrama (hermitage)
• nṛpasattama (the best of kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True dharma includes recognizing virtue in others and responding with appropriate honor; righteousness is expressed through disciplined, rule-guided conduct (vidhi), especially in receiving and respecting worthy persons.

What is happening in the narrative?

The sage Bhagu, realizing the visitor is a righteous and eminent king, comes out of his hermitage and formally honors him according to prescribed rites and proper etiquette.