Shloka 21

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 126 — Kṛṣṇa’s Indictment of Misrule and the Varuṇa Analogy (कृष्णवाक्यं–धर्मपाशदृष्टान्तः)

Devanagari script

अचिन्तयन्‌ कंचिदन्यं यावज्जीवं तथा5<चरेत्‌ । एष धर्म: क्षत्रियाणां मतमेतच्च मे सदा

Transliteration

acintayan kañcid anyaṃ yāvajjīvaṃ tathā caret | eṣa dharmaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ matam etac ca me sadā ||

Translation

বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন— “অন্য কারও কথা না ভেবে সে আজীবন এইভাবেই আচরণ করুক। এটাই ক্ষত্রিয়দের ধর্ম—এবং চিরকাল এটাই আমার স্থির মত।”

Word by Word

• अचिन्तयन्: not thinking/considering
• अचिन्तयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम, एकवचन, कर्तरि, पुं, प्रथमा

• कञ्चित्: someone/anyone
• कञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अन्यम्: other
• अन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थक)

• जीवम्: life
• जीवम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: thus/in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

• चरेत्: should act/should conduct oneself
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम, एकवचन, कर्तरि

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्मः: duty/law
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of the Kshatriyas
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• मतम्: opinion/view
• मतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from मन्/मन्- ‘to think’)
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• मे: my/of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts steadfast adherence to one’s prescribed kṣatriya-duty: acting consistently in the stated manner for one’s whole life, without being swayed by others’ opinions or pressures.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s lead-up to war and negotiations, Vaiśaṃpāyana frames a norm of warrior conduct, emphasizing unwavering commitment to the course of action previously described as proper for kṣatriyas.