Shloka 1

Devanagari script

/ अपर बक। ] अत्णऑकाड त्रेषष्ट्याधिकशततमोब<् ध्याय: युधिष्ठटिरका विद्या

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca:

Nābhāgadheyaḥ prāpnoti dhanaṃ subalavān api |

Bhāgadheyānvitastv arthān kṛśo bālaś ca vindati ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: Even a man of great strength does not obtain wealth if he is without his share of destiny. But one attended by good fortune gains prosperity—even if he is frail and still a mere boy.

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)

• भागधेयः: one with (good) fortune; the fortunate man
• भागधेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागधेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राप्नोति: obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सुबलवान्: very strong
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even/though
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (निपात)

• भागधेय-अन्वितः: endowed with fortune
• भागधेय-अन्वितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भागधेय + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (निपात)

• अर्थान्: wealth/means (objects of value)
• अर्थान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कृशः: thin/weak
• कृशः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बालः: a child
• बालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)

• विन्दति: finds/obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (लभे/विन्दति) (धातु)
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts personal power with bhāgadheya (one’s allotted fortune), suggesting that worldly success like wealth often depends on destiny; it sets up a dharmic inquiry into how far effort, strength, and intelligence can overcome fate.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Bhīṣma about the apparent supremacy of fortune: why the strong may fail to gain wealth while the weak may prosper, prompting Bhīṣma’s forthcoming explanation.