Shloka 9
Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint
सोऊहं वागग्रमृष्टानां रसानामवलेहक: । स्वजात्यानधितिष्ठामि नक्षत्राणीव चन्द्रमा:,उनकी वाणीसे जो उपदेशका मधुर रस प्रवाहित होता है उसका मैं आस्वादन करता रहता हूँ। इसीलिये नक्षत्रोंपर चन्द्रमाकी भाँति मैं अपनी जातिवालोंपर शासन करता हूँ
so ’haṃ vāg-agra-mṛṣṭānāṃ rasānām avalehakaḥ | sva-jātyān adhitiṣṭhāmi nakṣatrāṇīva candramāḥ ||
商婆罗说道：“我不断品尝并欣悦于从他们言语中流出的甘美精髓——那是于发言之端便已精炼的词句。因此，如明月统摄群星，我亦执掌权柄，统御我同类之众。”
शम्बर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links legitimate authority with receptivity to wise, refined counsel: one who continually relishes the ‘essence’ of good instruction and cultivated speech becomes fit to preside over others, as the moon naturally presides among the stars.
Śambara is speaking in self-description, explaining why he holds sway over his own people: he constantly imbibes the sweet, refined ‘rasa’ of instructive speech, and uses the moon-over-stars image to justify his leadership.