Shloka 11

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 28: Dharmādharmalakṣaṇa in Āpad

Crisis-Discernment of Right and Wrong

Devanagari script

अतन्द्रिता भारमिमं महान्तं बिभर्ति देवी पृथिवी बलेन । अतन्द्रिता: शीघ्रमपो वहन्ति संतर्पयन्त्य: सर्वभूतानि नद्यः

Transliteration

atandritā bhāram imaṁ mahāntaṁ bibharti devī pṛthivī balena | atandritāḥ śīghram apo vahanti santarpayantyaḥ sarvabhūtāni nadyaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu-deva sprach: „Unermüdet trägt die Göttin Erde diese ungeheure Last mit ihrer Kraft. Unermüdet auch führen die Flüsse rasch ihre Wasser, indem sie alle Lebewesen sättigen und erquicken.“

Word by Word

• अतन्द्रिता: untiring, unlazy
• अतन्द्रिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतन्द्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भारम्: burden, load
• भारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महान्तम्: great, huge
• महान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बिभर्ति: bears, carries, supports
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथिवी: Earth
• पृथिवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• बलेन: by strength, with force
• बलेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अतन्द्रिता: untiring, unlazy
• अतन्द्रिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतन्द्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• शीघ्रम्: quickly, swiftly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे अव्ययवत्)

• अपः: waters
• अपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/आप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• वहन्ति: carry, convey, flow (bearing)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• संतर्पयन्त्यः: satisfying, nourishing
• संतर्पयन्त्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संतर्पयत् (कृदन्त; धातु: तृप्/तर्प् caus. संतर्पय-)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural, Present active participle (शतृ)

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• नद्यः: rivers
• नद्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu-deva (Wind-god)
• Pṛthivī Devī (Earth-goddess)
• nadyaḥ (rivers)
• apaḥ (waters)
• sarvabhūtāni (all beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches atandratā—freedom from laziness and steady diligence. Earth and rivers are presented as models: by continuously performing their sustaining work, they uphold and nourish all beings; likewise, a person should fulfill duty without sloth for the welfare of others.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva speaks, using examples from nature—Earth bearing the world’s weight and rivers swiftly carrying water—to instruct listeners in the value of tireless effort and responsible action, a fitting counsel in the Udyoga Parva’s atmosphere of preparation and moral deliberation.