Shloka 19

अध्याय ३० — क्रोधदोषाः क्षमाप्रशंसा च

Defects of Anger and the Praise of Forbearance

Devanagari script

ऋजोर्मुदोर्वदान्यस्य ह्वीमत: सत्यवादिन: । कथमक्षव्यसनजा बुद्धिरापतिता तव,आप सरल, कोमल, उदार, लज्जाशील और सत्यवादी हैं। न जाने कैसे आपकी बुद्धिमें जूआ खेलनेका व्यसन आ गया

Transliteration

ṛjor mudor vadānyasya hrīmataḥ satyavādinaḥ | katham akṣavyasanajā buddhir āpatitā tava ||

Translation

قال يودهيشثيرا: «إنك مستقيم، رقيق الطبع، كريم، متواضع، ناطق بالصدق. فكيف إذن تمكّن منك عقلٌ وُلِد من رذيلة لعب النرد؟»

Word by Word

ऋजोःof the straightforward/upright one

मुदोःof the gentle/soft one

उदारस्यof the generous/noble one

ह्रीमतःof the modest/shamefaced one

सत्यवादिनःof the truth-speaker

कथम्how

अक्षव्यसनजाborn from the vice of dice/gambling

बुद्धिःintellect, understanding

आपतिताhas fallen/come upon

तवof you, your

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a person known for dharmic virtues—straightforwardness, gentleness, generosity, modesty, and truthfulness—can be overpowered by a single unchecked vice. The verse highlights the ethical need for self-restraint and vigilance against addictive habits like gambling, which can corrupt judgment (buddhi).

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the listener by listing their admirable qualities and then expresses astonishment that their mind has been overtaken by the ‘dice-vice’ (akṣavyasana). It functions as a moral rebuke and a reflection on how gambling leads to downfall by distorting discernment.