Shloka 8

Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ

Devanagari script

न सकामा: परे कार्या धर्ममेवाचरोत्तमम्‌ । भ्रातरं धार्मिकं ज्येष्ठं को$तिवर्तितुमरहति

Transliteration

na sakāmāḥ pare kāryā dharmam evācarottamam | bhrātaraṃ dhārmikaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ ko 'tivartitum arhati, bhaiyā | śatrūṇāṃ kāmanāṃ saphalāṃ na karo; uttama dharmakā hī ācaraṇa karo | bhalā, apane dharmātmā jyeṣṭha bhrātākā apamāna kauna kara saktā hai? |

Translation

অর্জুন বললেন—ভাই! শত্রুদের কামনা সফল কোরো না; শ্রেষ্ঠ ধর্মই পালন করো। ধর্মপরায়ণ জ্যেষ্ঠ ভ্রাতাকে কে-ই বা অতিক্রম বা অপমান করতে পারে?

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सकामाḥ: desirous (of personal gain)
• सकामाḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकाम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परे: others; opponents
• परे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कार्याः: to be done; to be acted upon
• कार्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धर्मम्: dharma; righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: only; indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• आचरत: practice; perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Plural, Parasmaipada

• उत्तमम्: best; highest
• उत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भ्रातरम्: brother
• भ्रातरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धार्मिकम्: righteous; virtuous
• धार्मिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्मिक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ज्येष्ठम्: eldest
• ज्येष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतिवर्तितुम्: to overstep; to transgress
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-वृत्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• अर्हति: is able/fit; can; deserves
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• eldest brother (Yudhishthira, implied)
• enemies (Shatrus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Act from dharma rather than desire, and do not enable an adversary’s aims; uphold righteous conduct and honor rightful familial hierarchy, especially the dharmic eldest brother.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Sabha Parva context of political tension and humiliation, Arjuna urges restraint and principled action: he counsels that one should not transgress against the eldest, righteous brother, nor behave in a way that grants success to enemies.