Shloka 1

धृतराष्ट्र-सेवा, राज्य-कार्य-विभागः

Service to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Allocation of State Duties

Devanagari script

अकाल एकचत्वारिशो< ध्याय: राजा युधिष्ठिरका धृतराष्ट्रके अधीन रहकर राज्यकी व्यवस्थाके लिये भाइयों तथा अन्य लोगोंको विभिन्न कार्योंपर नियुक्त करना वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रकृतीनां च तद्‌ वाक्‍्यं देशकालोपबंंहितम्‌ । श्र॒ुत्वा युधिष्ठिरो राजा चोत्तरं प्रत्यभाषत

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: prakṛtīnāṃ ca tad vākyaṃ deśa-kālopabṛṃhitam | śrutvā yudhiṣṭhiro rājā cottaraṃ pratyabhāṣata ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Nachdem König Yudhiṣṭhira den Rat der Minister und der übrigen Stützen des Reiches vernommen hatte — Worte, die Ort und Zeit angemessen waren —, erwiderte er. Die Szene fasst Herrschaft als dharmische Verantwortung: Weise Regierung beginnt damit, situationsgerechten Rat anzuhören, bevor man spricht oder handelt.

Word by Word

• प्रकृतीनाम्: of the ministers/constituents (of the state)
• प्रकृतीनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देशकालोपबृंहितम्: strengthened/qualified by place and time; appropriate to place and time
• देशकालोपबृंहितम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपबृंहित (उप + बृंह्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• उत्तरम्: reply/answer
• उत्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: in return; towards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• अभाषत: spoke; replied
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, अभि

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Good governance is dharmic when it is guided by attentive listening and by counsel suited to deśa (place) and kāla (time). The verse highlights contextual judgment rather than rigid rule-following.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Yudhiṣṭhira hears the context-appropriate advice of the kingdom’s constituents (ministers and others) and then begins to respond, setting up the ensuing discussion on administration and righteous rule.