Shloka 5

Devanagari script

सुखं प्रतिप्रबुद्धानामिन्द्रियाण्युपलक्षये । स भवान्‌ सुहृदो5स्माकमथवा न: पिता भवान्‌,अब जीवित होनेपर भी इनकी इन्द्रियाँ सुखकी नींद सोकर उठे हुए पुरुषोंके समान स्वस्थ दिखायी देती हैं, अत: आप हमारे कोई सुहृद्‌ हैं अथवा पिता?

Transliteration

sukhaṃ pratiprabuddhānām indriyāṇy upalakṣaye | sa bhavān suhṛdo 'smākam athavā naḥ pitā bhavān ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sagte: „Ich bemerke, dass ihre Sinne gesund und gefestigt erscheinen, wie bei Menschen, die erquicklich aus einem angenehmen Schlaf erwacht sind. Darum musst du uns wohlgesinnt sein—ja, du bist uns wie ein Vater.“

Word by Word

सुखम्happiness, comfort

प्रतिप्रबुद्धानाम्of those fully awakened

इन्द्रियाणिsenses

उपलक्षयेI observe, I notice

सःhe, that (person)

भवान्you (honorific)

सुहृदःa friend, well-wisher

अस्माकम्of us, our

अथवाor else

नःof us, our

पिताfather

भवान्you (honorific)

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical discernment and gratitude: when one sees another’s benevolent impact—restoring calm, health, or clarity—one should recognize that person as a true well-wisher, even as worthy of parental regard. It frames beneficence as a mark of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses an honored person whose actions have evidently brought relief and steadiness to others; he notes their senses look refreshed as after good sleep, and infers that the addressee must be a close friend or father-like protector to them.