Shloka 15

Dambhodbhava, Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and the Counsel to Abandon Hubris

Udyoga-parva 94

Devanagari script

तव चैव हित॑ं राजन्‌ पाण्डवानामथो हितम्‌ । शमे प्रयतमानस्य तव शासनकाड्क्षिण:

Transliteration

tava caiva hitaṁ rājan pāṇḍavānām atho hitam | śame prayatamānasya tava śāsanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O König, dieser Weg ist wahrhaft zu deinem eigenen Wohl — und ebenso zum Wohl der Pāṇḍavas. Wenn du dich um Frieden bemühst und bereit bist, deine Söhne mit rechtmäßiger Strenge zu zügeln, dann wird die Versöhnung zum Pfad, der beide Seiten bewahrt.“

Word by Word

• तव: of you/your
• तव: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, षष्ठी, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हितम्: welfare/benefit
• हितम्: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pandavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• अथ: and then/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• उ: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ

• हितम्: welfare/benefit
• हितम्: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शमे: in peace/conciliation
• शमे: अधिकारण
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• प्रयतमानस्य: of (one) striving/endeavouring
• प्रयतमानस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Participle
• Root: प्रयतमान
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन, —, —

• तव: of you/your
• तव: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• शासन: rule/governance/discipline
• शासन: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• काङ्क्षिणः: of (one) desiring
• काङ्क्षिणः: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काङ्क्षिन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍavas
• King (Dhṛtarāṣṭra implied by address rājan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s true self-interest aligns with justice and peace: by restraining and disciplining his own sons and sincerely pursuing reconciliation, he protects both his dynasty and the Pāṇḍavas, preventing a destructive war.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the peace-embassy context of the Udyoga Parva, counsel is being given to the Kuru king: if he genuinely seeks peace and is prepared to govern his sons firmly, then a settlement with the Pāṇḍavas is beneficial for all.