Shloka 89

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

विरजास्तु महाभाग: प्रभुत्वं भुवि नैच्छत । न्यासायैवाभवद्‌ बुद्धि: प्रणीता तस्य पाण्डव,पाण्डुनन्दन! महाभाग विरजाने पृथ्वीपर राजा होनेकी इच्छा नहीं की। उनकी बुद्धिने संन्यास लेनेका ही निश्चय किया

Transliteration

virajāstu mahābhāgaḥ prabhutvaṁ bhuvi naicchata | nyāsāyaivābhavad buddhiḥ praṇītā tasya pāṇḍava ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：福德高贵的毗罗阇并不贪求世间王权。其心志唯向出离与舍弃而定——宁可退隐于权势之外，不愿追逐统治之乐。

Word by Word

• विरजः: Viraja (proper name)
• विरजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• महाभागः: fortunate, noble
• महाभागः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभुत्वम्: sovereignty, lordship
• प्रभुत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि-सम्बद्ध)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ऐच्छत: desired, wished
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न्यासाय: for renunciation (sannyāsa)
• न्यासाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

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

• अभवत्: became, was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बुद्धिः: intention, resolve, mind
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रणीता: led/impelled, directed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नी (धातु) + क्त (प्रणीता)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पाण्डव: O Pāṇḍava
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पाण्डुनन्दन: O son of Pāṇḍu
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Virajā
• Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True greatness may lie in refusing worldly power when it conflicts with one’s higher aim; Virajā exemplifies vairāgya (detachment) by choosing nyāsa (renunciation) over earthly sovereignty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing Yudhiṣṭhira in Śānti Parva, cites Virajā as an example: though capable of ruling, he did not want kingship and instead resolved to take up renunciation.