Shloka 111

Devanagari script

ते शंकमानास्त्वन्योन्यं पप्रच्छुद्धिजसत्तमा: । त ऊचु:ः समयं सर्वे कुर्म इत्यरिकर्शन,शत्रुसूदन! वे श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मण आपसमें ही एक-दूसरेपर संदेह करते हुए पूछ-ताछ करने लगे और अन्तमें बोले--“हम सब लोग मिलकर शपथ करें"

Transliteration

te śaṅkamānās tv anyonyaṃ papracchur dhijasattamāḥ | ta ūcuḥ samayaṃ sarve kurma ity arikarśana-śatrusūdana |

Translation

Jene Besten der Zweimalgeborenen, einander misstrauend, begannen sich gegenseitig zu befragen. Schließlich erklärten sie alle: „Lasst uns gemeinsam einen feierlichen Bund schließen—lasst uns durch einen Eid aneinander binden“, o Bezwinger der Feinde.

Word by Word

तेthey

शङ्कमानाःsuspecting, doubting

तुbut/indeed

अन्योन्यम्one another, mutually

पप्रच्छुःasked, inquired

द्विजसत्तमाःbest of the twice-born (brahmins)

तेthey

ऊचुःsaid

समयम्agreement, pledge, compact

सर्वेall

कुर्मःwe make / let us make

इतिthus, saying

अरि-कर्‍षणO enemy-subduer (epithet)

शत्रु-सूदनO slayer of enemies (epithet)

Speaker

शुन:सख उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śunaḥsakha

dvijas (Brahmins)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When trust breaks down even among the learned, dharma requires restoring moral order through a clear, shared commitment (samaya) that binds everyone equally—an ethical move from suspicion to accountable agreement.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of eminent Brahmins, gripped by mutual suspicion, interrogate one another and finally resolve to establish a collective pact—an oath-like agreement—to settle uncertainty and regulate conduct.