Shloka 36

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

चक्रवत्‌ तात कार्याणां पर्यायो दृश्यते सदा । कोशस्य निचये यत्नं कुर्वीथा न्‍न्यायत: सदा

Transliteration

cakravat tāta kāryāṇāṁ paryāyo dṛśyate sadā | kośasya nicaye yatnaṁ kurvīthā nnyāyataḥ sadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Dear one, the succession of affairs is always seen to move in cycles, like a wheel. Therefore, you should always strive—by rightful means—to build up and preserve your treasury.”

Word by Word

चक्रवत्like a wheel; cyclically

तातO dear (son)

कार्याणाम्of tasks/affairs

पर्यायःsuccession; alternation; turn

दृश्यतेis seen; appears

सदाalways

कोशस्यof the treasury; of the store

निचयेin accumulation; in storing up

यत्नम्effort

कुर्वीथाःyou should do; you should make

न्यायतःproperly; justly; according to rule

सदाalways

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

kośa (treasury)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly affairs and fortunes recur in cycles; therefore one should prepare responsibly by maintaining resources (a treasury) through lawful, ethical means (nyāyataḥ), combining prudence with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana delivers a reflective instruction within the Ashramavāsika context, emphasizing cyclical change in human affairs and advising careful, righteous accumulation of resources as a practical support for duty and stability.