Shloka 41

Draupadī’s Lament and Theodicy: Dharma, Dice, and Īśvara’s Governance (Āraṇyaka-parva 31)

Devanagari script

ईश्वरं चापि भूतानां धातारं मा च वै क्षिप । शिक्षस्वैनं नमस्वैनं मा ते5भूद्‌ बुद्धिरीदूृशी,और समस्त प्राणियोंका भरण-पोषण करनेवाले ईश्वरपर आक्षेप बिलकुल न करो। तुम शास्त्र और गुरुजनोंके उपदेशानुसार ईश्वरको समझनेकी चेष्टा करो और उन्हींको नमस्कार करो। आज जैसी तुम्हारी बुद्धि है, वैसी नहीं रहनी चाहिये

Transliteration

īśvaraṃ cāpi bhūtānāṃ dhātāraṃ mā ca vai kṣipa | śikṣasvainaṃ namasvainaṃ mā te 'bhūd buddhir īdṛśī ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Gib dem Herrn keine Schuld — dem Erhalter und Ordner aller Wesen. Bemühe dich, Ihn gemäß der Lehre der Schriften und der Führung von Ältesten und Lehrern zu verstehen, und verneige dich vor Ihm. Lass dein Verständnis nicht so bleiben wie heute.“

Word by Word

• {'īśvaram': 'the Lord

• supreme ruler', 'ca api': 'and also', 'bhūtānām': 'of beings

• of creatures', 'dhātāram': 'the supporter/ordainer

• sustainer (lit. ‘placer’, ‘creator’)', 'mā': 'do not', 'vai': 'indeed

• surely', 'kṣipa': 'revile

• cast aspersions (imperative)', 'śikṣasva': 'learn

• discipline yourself (middle imperative)', 'enam': 'this (one), i.e., Him', 'namasva': 'bow

• pay homage (middle imperative)', 'mā te': 'may it not be for you

• do not let (for you)', 'abhūt': 'become

• come to be (aorist)', 'buddhiḥ': 'understanding

• judgment', 'īdṛśī': 'such as this

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Īśvara
• Dhātṛ (Sustainer/Ordainer)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should not accuse or revile the divine order that sustains all beings; instead, cultivate understanding through śāstra and the counsel of teachers/elders, and respond with humility and reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira admonishes the listener (implicitly someone speaking in frustration) to stop blaming God for suffering or misfortune and to reform one’s outlook by learning rightly and offering respectful submission.