Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

तस्य दृष्टवा महत्त्वं ते महेन्द्रस्येव देवता: । अपतत्रसिरे सर्वे स्वधर्मे च ददुर्मन:

Transliteration

tasya dṛṣṭvā mahattvaṃ te mahendrasyeva devatāḥ | apatatrāsire sarve svadharme ca dadur manaḥ ||

Translation

目睹他的伟大，他们——如诸天见到大因陀罗（Mahendra，因陀罗）的威严而心生敬畏——无不为惧与敬所摄，各自将心念归回于自身应守之本分（svadharma）。

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• महत्त्वम्: greatness, majesty
• महत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महेन्द्रस्य: of Mahendra (great Indra)
• महेन्द्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• देवताः: the gods
• देवताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• अपतत्रसिरे: were terrified, trembled
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-त्रस्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वधर्मे: in (their) own duty
• स्वधर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• ददुः: placed, gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Mahendra (Indra)
• Devatāḥ (the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True greatness in a ruler or exemplary person inspires awe that re-establishes moral order: people become restrained and redirect themselves toward svadharma, their rightful duties.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes how, upon witnessing a person’s extraordinary eminence, everyone reacts as the gods do before Indra—overawed and fearful—and consequently becomes attentive to proper conduct and duty.