Shloka 29

राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order

Devanagari script

विजयाय हि निर्याहि प्रतपन्‌ रश्मिवानिव । मानं विधम शत्रूणां जयो<स्तु तव सर्वदा

Transliteration

vijayāya hi niryāhi pratapan raśmivān iva | mānaṃ vidhama śatrūṇāṃ jayo 'stu tava sarvadā ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“为胜利而出征吧——如炽燃而光耀的太阳。大王啊，将敌人的傲慢碾作尘土，愿胜利时时属于你。”

Word by Word

• विजयाय: for victory
• विजयाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• निर्याहि: go forth / set out
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-या
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रतपन्: shining, blazing
• प्रतपन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-तप्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रश्मिवान्: possessed of rays
• रश्मिवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रश्मिवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• मानम्: pride
• मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विधम: scatter, crush, destroy
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धम्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शत्रूणाम्: of the enemies
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• जयः: victory
• जयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्तु: may it be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperative (benedictive sense), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तव: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Mahārāja (the king addressed)
• Sun (Sūrya/Āditya, implied by raśmivān and pratapan)
• Enemies (śatravaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma urges the ruler to act with decisive, radiant strength in pursuit of rightful victory, emphasizing the kshatriya duty to confront adversaries and to break the arrogance that fuels injustice, while invoking a blessing for enduring success.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction to the king during the Shanti Parva discourse, he delivers an exhortation and benediction: the king should march forth for victory like the blazing sun, subdue hostile forces by shattering their pride, and secure continual triumph.