Shloka 40

Vyāsa’s Counsel to the Concealed Pāṇḍavas; Śaṃkara’s Boon and the Predestination of Draupadī

Chapter 157

Devanagari script

एषां चान्यतमत्यागो नृशंसो गर्लहितो बुध: । आत्मत्यागे कृते चेमे मरिष्यन्ति मया विना,इनमेंसे किसीका भी त्याग दिद्वानोंने निर्दयतापूर्ण तथा निन्दनीय बताया है और मेरे मर जानेपर ये सभी मेरे बिना मर जायूँगे

Transliteration

eṣāṃ cānyatamatyāgo nṛśaṃso garhito budhaiḥ | ātmatyāge kṛte ceme mariṣyanti mayā vinā ||

Translation

Der Brāhmaṇa sprach: „Auch nur einen von ihnen im Stich zu lassen, ist grausam und von den Weisen verurteilt. Und wenn ich mein eigenes Leben hingebe, dann werden auch sie ohne mich sterben.“

Word by Word

एषाम्of these

चand

अन्यतमof any one (of them)

त्यागःabandonment

नृशंसःcruel

गर्हितःcensured, blameworthy

बुधःthe wise man / the wise (person)

आत्मत्यागेin (the case of) self-sacrifice

कृतेwhen done, upon being done

चand

इमेthese

मरिष्यन्तिwill die

मयाby me / with me

विनाwithout

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्राह्मण (Brāhmaṇa speaker)

ब

बुध (the wise/learned, as a class)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One must not abandon those who depend on one’s care; such neglect is judged cruel and blameworthy. Even self-sacrifice is questioned if it causes the death or ruin of dependents.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa argues against choosing any single dependent to be forsaken, stating that the wise condemn such a choice, and adds that if he himself dies, the others connected to him will also perish without his support.