Shloka 27

Subhadrā-vivāha-saṃsthāpana, Vṛṣṇi–Kuru satkāra, and Abhimanyu-janma

Chapter 213

Devanagari script

कृतवांस्तत्र धर्मार्थमत्र धर्मो न दुष्यति । परित्राणं च कर्तव्यमार्तानां पूुथुलोचन,अतः आपके बड़े भाईने वहाँ धर्मकी रक्षाके लिये केवल द्रौपदीको निमित्त बनाकर यह एक-दूसरेके प्रवासका नियम बनाया है। यहाँ आपका धर्म दूषित नहीं होता। विशाल नेत्रोंवाले अर्जुन! आपको आर्त प्राणियोंकी रक्षा करनी चाहिये

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | kṛtavāṃs tatra dharmārtham atra dharmo na duṣyati | paritrāṇaṃ ca kartavyam ārtānāṃ pṛthulocana ||

Translation

Arjuna sprach: „Er setzte jene Regel dort um des Dharma willen fest; hier wird dein Dharma nicht befleckt. Und, o Weitauge, Schutz und Rettung der Bedrängten müssen wahrlich unternommen werden.“

Word by Word

• {'arjuna uvāca': 'Arjuna said', 'kṛtavān': 'has done

• has established', 'tatra': 'there', 'dharma-artham': 'for the purpose of dharma

• to uphold righteousness', 'atra': 'here', 'dharmaḥ': 'duty

• moral law', 'na duṣyati': 'is not corrupted/defiled

• does not become blameworthy', 'paritrāṇam': 'protection

• deliverance', 'ca': 'and', 'kartavyam': 'must be done

• is obligatory', 'ārtānām': 'of the afflicted/distressed

• of those in danger', 'pṛthulocana': 'O wide-eyed one (epithet of a person addressed)'}

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Upholding dharma includes the obligation to protect those who are distressed; such protective action does not stain one’s righteousness when done for a rightful purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna argues that a rule was instituted to safeguard dharma, and he emphasizes that in the present situation one’s duty remains intact and requires rescuing those who are suffering or endangered.