Shloka 38

Dvaītavana: Brahmaghoṣa, Rṣi-saṅgha, and Baka Dālbhyā’s Upadeśa to Yudhiṣṭhira

Devanagari script

यो न दर्शयते तेज: क्षत्रियः काल आगते । सर्वभूतानि तं पार्थ सदा परिभवन्त्युत,कुन्तीनन्दन! जो क्षत्रिय समय आनेपर अपने प्रभावको नहीं दिखाता, उसका सब प्राणी सदा तिरस्कार करते हैं

Transliteration

yo na darśayate tejaḥ kṣatriyaḥ kāla āgate | sarvabhūtāni taṃ pārtha sadā paribhavanty uta ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O Pārtha, wenn der entscheidende Augenblick kommt, wird der Kṣatriya, der seine rechtmäßige Kraft und Autorität nicht zeigt, zum Gegenstand der Verachtung; ja, alle Wesen missachten ihn fortwährend.“

Word by Word

यःwho (he who)

नnot

दर्शयतेshows, displays

तेजःsplendor, prowess, power

क्षत्रियःa Kshatriya, warrior

कालेat the time

आगतेwhen (it has) come, arrived

सर्वभूतानिall beings

तम्him

पार्थO Partha (Arjuna)

सदाalways

परिभवन्तिdisrespect, slight, overpower

उतand, also (emphatic)

कुन्तीनन्दनO son of Kunti

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A kṣatriya’s dharma requires timely assertion of strength and authority for protection and justice; failing to act when the moment demands it leads to loss of honor and invites contempt, undermining one’s capacity to uphold order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, narrating the epic, addresses Pārtha (Arjuna) with a maxim about warrior duty: in a critical hour, a kṣatriya must manifest tejas; otherwise he becomes continually disregarded by others.