Shloka 18

अज्ञान–लोभयोः परस्परहेतुत्वम्

Mutual Causality of Ignorance and Greed

Devanagari script

बलेन संविभागैश्नलू जय स्वर्ग जनेश्वर । यस्यैव बलमोजश्न स धर्मस्य प्रभुर्नर:

Transliteration

balena saṁvibhāgaiś ca jaya svargaṁ janeśvara | yasyaiva balam ojaś ca sa dharmasya prabhur naraḥ ||

Translation

“今我当述王事之中最为卓绝者。噫，人中之主！以坚固之力，并以慷慨分施，征服天界。唯有真正具足力量与生气（ojas）之人，方能护持并践行正法（dharma）。”

Word by Word

• बलेन: by strength
• बलेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• संविभागैः: by distributions / by gifts (apportionments)
• संविभागैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संविभाग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नृलोके: in the world of men
• नृलोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृलोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• जय: conquer
• जय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जनेश्वर: O lord of people
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन-ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यस्य: whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• एव: indeed / only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ओजः: vigor / energy
• ओजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओजस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रभुः: master / capable one
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नरः: man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शौनक (Śaunaka)
• जनेश्वर (janeśvara—king/lord of men)
• स्वर्ग (svarga—heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Royal excellence is grounded in disciplined strength and generous sharing; only one who has real power and vigor can reliably uphold dharma and thereby attain the highest fruits, symbolized as victory over heaven.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka addresses a king (‘lord of men’) and introduces a teaching on the श्रेष्ठ (best) royal duty, urging him to pursue heavenly attainment through steadfast power coupled with charitable distribution, linking ethical rule to inner strength.