Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 29

Chapter 59: Baladeva’s Censure, Keśava’s Restraint, and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Moral Accounting

Devanagari script

त्वमेक: सुस्थितो राजन्‌ स्वर्गे ते निलयो ध्रुव:

Transliteration

tvam ekaḥ susthito rājan svarge te nilayo dhruvaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, you alone stand firmly established; in heaven your abode is assured and unshakable.”

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• एकः: alone/one
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• सुस्थितः: well-established/securely placed
• सुस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुस्थित
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

• ते: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्

• निलयः: abode/dwelling
• निलयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निलय
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• ध्रुवः: fixed/certain/everlasting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• King (rājan)
• Svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steadfastness in one’s rightful duty (especially a kṣatriya’s dharma in war) is presented as leading to a certain, ‘fixed’ reward—an assured heavenly abode—framing death in battle within an ethical and cosmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses the king, offering a consoling and evaluative statement: the king is portrayed as standing alone yet firmly established, with his posthumous destiny in heaven described as certain.