Shloka 8

धर्मरहस्योपदेशः

Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury

Devanagari script

सो<ब्रवीत्‌ सात्यकिं वीर धृष्टद्युम्नं च पार्षतम्‌ । यूयं रक्षत राजानं धर्मात्मानं युधिष्ठिरम्‌

Transliteration

so 'bravīt sātyakiṃ vīra dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca pārṣatam | yūyaṃ rakṣata rājānaṃ dharmātmānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Er wandte sich an den tapferen Sātyaki und an Dhṛṣṭadyumna, den Sohn des Pārṣata, und sagte: „Ihr alle sollt den König schützen — Yudhiṣṭhira, dessen Wesen selbst Dharma ist.“

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सात्यकिम्: Satyaki
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीर: O hero
• Type: Noun (Vocative)
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धृष्टद्युम्नम्: Dhrishtadyumna
• धृष्टद्युम्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: धृष्टद्युम्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पार्षतम्: the son of Prishata (Dhrishtadyumna)/Parshata
• पार्षतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper/Epithet)
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रक्षत: protect!
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 2nd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मात्मानम्: righteous-souled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरम्: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Pārṣata (Pr̥ṣata)
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes kṣatriya-duty and ethical priority in war: safeguarding the righteous king (dharmātmā Yudhiṣṭhira) is presented as a collective responsibility, implying that the protection of dharma-centered leadership is itself a moral imperative.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the Karṇa Parva battle account, a commander issues instructions to key Pāṇḍava warriors—Sātyaki and Dhṛṣṭadyumna—to focus on protecting King Yudhiṣṭhira, underscoring the strategic and moral importance of keeping the dharmic leader safe.