Shloka 10

अध्याय २९ — वासुदेव–संजय संवादः

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance

Devanagari script

(ततोड्व्यग्रस्तन्मना: प्राउ्जलि श्व कुर्या नमो मद्धवचनेन तेभ्य: ।) तदनन्तर शान्तभावसे उन्हींकी ओर मनकी वृत्तियोंको एकाग्र करके हाथ जोड़कर मेरे कहनेसे उन सबको प्रणाम निवेदन करना। अश्रोत्रिया ये च वसन्ति वृद्धा मनस्विन: शीलबलोपपन्ना: । आशंसन्तो<5स्माकमनुस्मरन्तो यथाशक्ति धर्ममात्रां चरन्त:

Transliteration

tato vyagras tan-manāḥ prāñjaliḥ śvaḥ kuryā namo mad-vacanena tebhyaḥ | tad-anantaraṃ śānta-bhāvena unhīṃ-kī ora mana-kī vṛttiyoṃ ko ekāgra karke hātha joṛkar mere kahane se un sab ko praṇāma nivedana karnā | aśrotriyā ye ca vasanti vṛddhā manasvinaḥ śīla-balopapannāḥ | āśaṃsanto ’smākam anusmaranto yathā-śakti dharma-mātrāṃ carantaḥ ||

Translation

„Dann, morgen, mit gesammeltetem Geist und gefalteten Händen, überbringe ihnen allen in meinem Namen meine ehrerbietigen Grüße, wie ich es dir sage. Danach, in ruhiger Haltung, wende dich den Ältesten zu, die dort wohnen—auch wenn sie nicht in der formalen vedischen Rezitation geschult sind, sind sie hochgesinnt, von guter Sitte und Kraft; sie wünschen uns Gutes, gedenken unser und leben, so gut sie können, nach dem Maß des Dharma.“

Word by Word

• {'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'vyagraḥ': 'intent, fully engaged, attentive', 'tan-manāḥ': 'with the mind fixed on that (task/person)', 'prāñjaliḥ': 'with joined palms

• in reverence', 'śvaḥ': 'tomorrow', 'kuryāḥ': 'you should do (optative

• injunction)', 'namo': 'salutation, respectful bow', 'mad-vacanena': 'by my word

• on my behalf', 'tebhyaḥ': 'to them', 'tad-anantaram': 'after that, thereafter', 'śānta-bhāvena': 'with a peaceful/calm attitude', 'aśrotriyāḥ': 'not śrotriyas

• not formally Veda-trained/reciters', 'vasanti': 'they dwell, reside', 'vṛddhāḥ': 'elders', 'manasvinaḥ': 'high-spirited, noble-minded', 'śīla': 'good conduct, character', 'bala': 'strength, power', 'upapannāḥ': 'endowed with, possessed of', 'āśaṃsantaḥ': 'wishing well, hoping for (our good)', 'asmākam': 'of us, for us', 'anusmarantaḥ': 'remembering, keeping in mind', 'yathā-śakti': 'according to one’s capacity', 'dharma-mātrām': 'the measure/portion of dharma (as much as possible)', 'carantaḥ': 'practising, living (conducting themselves)'}

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid political tension, one should act with composure and humility—offering respectful salutations and honoring elders and virtuous people, recognizing that dharma is also lived through conduct and goodwill, not only through formal learning.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira gives instructions to convey his respectful greetings to certain people and then to approach resident elders—some not formally Veda-trained—who are nevertheless noble, strong in character, and devoted to practising dharma as best they can.