Shloka 19

Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच श्रुतं भगवतो वाक्यं धर्मयुक्ते परं हितम्‌

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca śrutaṃ bhagavato vākyaṃ dharmayukte paraṃ hitam

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Ich habe die Worte des Erhabenen vernommen—im Dharma fest gegründet und von höchstem Nutzen.“

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid

श्रुतम्heard

भगवतःof the Blessed Lord

वाक्यम्speech; statement

धर्मयुक्तेin/with what is connected with dharma (righteousness)

परम्supreme; highest

हितम्beneficial; for welfare

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhagavān (revered speaker/authority)

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 ethical ideal that true instruction is that which is aligned with dharma and aimed at the highest welfare (hita). It also models humility and receptivity: a ruler acknowledges having listened to righteous counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira responds after receiving a revered authority’s discourse, affirming that he has heard it and recognizing it as dharma-consistent and supremely beneficial—serving as a transition into further questioning or acceptance of the teaching.