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Shloka 19

अध्याय ३३ — कर्म, दैव, हठ, स्वभाव और पुरुषार्थ पर द्रौपदी का उपदेश

Draupadī on Action, Fate, and Human Effort

सर्वथा कार्यमेतन्न: स्वधर्ममनुतिष्ठताम्‌ । काडुक्षतां विपुलां कीर्ति वैरं प्रतिचिकीर्षताम्‌,“हम अपने क्षत्रिय-धर्मके अनुष्ठानमें संलग्न हो वैरका बदला लेना चाहते हैं और संसारमें महान्‌ यशका विस्तार करनेकी अभिलाषा रखते हैं, अतः हमारे लिये सब प्रकारसे युद्ध करना ही उचित है

sarvathā kāryam etan naḥ svadharmam anutiṣṭhatām | kṣatāṁ vipulāṁ kīrtiṁ vairaṁ praticikīrṣatām ||

قال فايشَمبايانا: «إن هذا، لنا، هو السبيلُ اللائق على كل وجه، ونحن ثابتون على أداء سْوَدْهَرْمَنا (واجبنا الخاص). وإذ نبتغي مجدًا عظيمًا ونطلب استيفاء الثأر من العداوة، فإن دخول القتال يليق بنا.»

सर्वथाin every way, wholly
सर्वथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वथा
Formtrue
कार्यम्to be done; proper/necessary act
कार्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य
Formneuter, nominative, singular
एतत्this
एतत्:
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
Formneuter, nominative, singular
नःof us / our
नः:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Formfirst, genitive, plural
स्वधर्मम्one's own duty (proper dharma)
स्वधर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootस्वधर्म
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
अनुतिष्ठताम्let (them) carry out / practice
अनुतिष्ठताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootअनु-स्था
FormLot, parasmaipada, third, plural
काण्डुक्षताम्of those wounded by arrows (lit. arrow-wounded)
काण्डुक्षताम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootकाण्डुक्षत
Formmasculine, genitive, plural
विपुलाम्vast, great
विपुलाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविपुल
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
कीर्तिम्fame, renown
कीर्तिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकीर्ति
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
वैरम्enmity; feud; revenge
वैरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवैर
Formneuter, accusative, singular
प्रतिचिकीर्षताम्of those wishing to retaliate/do in return
प्रतिचिकीर्षताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-चिकीर्ष
Formशतृ (present active participle), masculine, genitive, plural

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

The verse frames warfare as 'proper' when aligned with svadharma (one’s rightful role-duty), yet it also reveals motivating impulses—seeking fame and repaying enmity—highlighting the ethical tension between duty-based action and desire-driven retaliation.

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, the speakers (implicitly kṣatriyas) justify choosing battle: they claim it accords with their svadharma and will both avenge hostility and spread their renown.