Chapter 1 · Prathamo’dhyāyaḥ (First Chapter)
Verse 5
तस्य पालयतः सम्यक् प्रजाः पुत्रानिवौरसान्। बभूवुः शत्रवो भूपाः कोलाविध्वंसिनस्तदा ॥ ५ ॥
tasya pālayataḥ samyak prajāḥ putrānivaurasān | babhūvuḥ śatravō bhūpāḥ kōlāvidhvaṁsinastadā || 5 ||
Translation
While he was righteously protecting his subjects like his own legitimate sons, then, other kings who were destroyers of his line became his enemies.
Word by word
- tasya
- his (Suratha's)
- pālayataḥ
- while protecting
- samyak
- righteously
- prajāḥ
- the subjects
- putrān
- sons
- iva
- like
- aurasān
- legitimate
- babhūvuḥ
- became
- śatravah
- enemies
- bhūpāḥ
- kings
- kōlāvidhvaṁsinah
- destroyers of the line of Kola
- tadā
- then
Meaning
This verse describes the cruel twist of fate that befalls the virtuous King Suratha. Despite being a just and caring ruler who treated his people like his own children, he faced treachery from neighboring kings. The term kōlāvidhvaṁsinaḥ suggests these enemy kings were not just political rivals but were intent on destroying his very lineage and kingdom, marking the beginning of his troubles.