Shloka 100

Devanagari script

बहुशो याच्यमानस्य दैवोपहतचेतस: । त्वमेको व्यसनार्तस्य प्रियसे पुत्र सर्वथा,“लोभी, अदूरदर्शी और अन्धे राजाके लिये तुम लाठीके सहारे हो। मैंने उनसे युद्ध रोकनेके लिये बारंबार याचना की थी, परंतु दैवसे उनकी बुद्धि मारी गयी थी; इसलिये उन्होंने मेरी बात नहीं सुनी। आज वे संकटसे पीड़ित हैं, बेटा! इस अवस्थामें एकमात्र तुम्हीं उन्हें सहारा देनेके लिये जीवित हो

Transliteration

bahuśo yācyamānasya daivopahatacetasaḥ | tvam eko vyasanārtasya priyase putra sarvathā ||

Translation

সঞ্জয় বললেন—আমি বারবার অনুনয় করেছি, কিন্তু ভাগ্যের আঘাতে তার চিত্ত ভ্রষ্ট হয়েছিল; তাই যুদ্ধ থামাতে আমার উপদেশ সে মানেনি। আজ সে বিপদে জর্জরিত ও দুর্দশাগ্রস্ত; হে পুত্র, সর্বতোভাবে তার একমাত্র প্রিয় আশ্রয় তুমি-ই।

Word by Word

बहुशःmany times, repeatedly

याच्यमानस्यof (one who is) being begged/entreated

दैवोपहतचेतसःof him whose mind is struck by fate

त्वम्you

एकःalone, the only one

व्यसनार्तस्यof one afflicted by calamity

प्रियसेyou are dear / you please

पुत्रO son

सर्वथाin every way, entirely

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Sañjaya's son (addressed as putra)

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?

The verse highlights the moral tragedy of ignored counsel: when a ruler’s judgment is clouded—here framed as ‘struck by fate’—wise advice fails, and calamity follows. It also underscores the ethical duty of support and steadiness in times of crisis, especially within familial and political responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reflects that he repeatedly urged the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) to restrain the war, but the king did not listen because his mind was impaired by destiny. Now, after disaster has unfolded, Sañjaya addresses his son, saying that the son alone remains as a dear support for the distressed king.