Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 20

Bhīmasena’s Admonition to Yudhiṣṭhira on Rājya and the Ordering of Dharma–Artha–Kāma

Book 3, Chapter 34

यदा हि पूर्व निकृतो निकृन्तेद्‌ वैरं सपुष्पं सफल॑ विदित्वा । महागुणं हरति हि पौरुषेण तदा वीरो जीवति जीवलोके,जब पहले शत्रुके द्वारा धोखा खाया हुआ वीर पुरुष उसे फ़ूलता-फलता जानकर अपने पुरुषार्थके द्वारा उसका मूलोच्छेद कर डालता है, तभी उस शत्रुके महान्‌ गुणोंका अपहरण कर लेता है और इस जगत्‌में सुखपूर्वक जीवित रहता है

yadā hi pūrvaṁ nikṛto nikṛnted vairaṁ sapuṣpaṁ saphalaṁ viditvā | mahāguṇaṁ harati hi pauruṣeṇa tadā vīro jīvati jīvaloke ||

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: Wenn ein Held, einst betrogen, erkennt, dass die Feindschaft des Gegners bereits erblüht und Frucht getragen hat, und sie dann—durch eigene Manneskraft—an der Wurzel abschneidet, so raubt er dem Feind dessen Vorteil und Vorzüglichkeit; so lebt der Tapfere in dieser Welt gut.

यदाwhen
यदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदा
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
पूर्वम्formerly/earlier
पूर्वम्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व
निकृतःdeceived/cheated
निकृतः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिकृत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
निकृन्तेत्should cut off/destroy
निकृन्तेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootनि + कृन्त्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
वैरम्enmity/hostility
वैरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवैर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सपुष्पम्with flowers (i.e., blossoming)
सपुष्पम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसपुष्प
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सफलम्with fruit (i.e., bearing fruit)
सफलम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसफल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विदित्वाhaving known/considered
विदित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormAbsolutive (Ktva)
महागुणम्great merit/virtue
महागुणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहागुण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
हरतिtakes away/appropriates
हरति:
TypeVerb
Rootहृ
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
हिindeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
पौरुषेणby manly effort/valor
पौरुषेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपौरुष
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
वीरःhero/brave man
वीरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवीर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
जीवतिlives
जीवति:
TypeVerb
Rootजीव्
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
जीवलोकेin the world of living beings
जीवलोके:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootजीवलोक
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
E
enemy (śatru, implied)
E
enmity/hostility (vaira)

Educational Q&A

Do not ignore hostility once it has begun to manifest and produce consequences; recognize it clearly and remove it decisively at the root through disciplined effort. By doing so, one neutralizes the opponent’s advantage and secures one’s own well-being in the world.

Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the situation of a person who has already been deceived by an enemy. He frames enmity as something that grows (flowers and fruits) and advises timely, resolute action—cutting it off at its source—so that the enemy’s strength does not continue to yield harmful results.