Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

गोवद्रासभवच्चैव कुर्युर्ये ब्यवहारिण: । 'पाण्डुनन्दन! तुम्हारे राज्यके अंदर रहनेवाले जो कारीगर और शिल्पी तुम्हारा काम करें, तुम्हें उनके भरण-पोषणका प्रबन्ध अवश्य करना चाहिये; जैसे गधों और बैलोंसे काम लेनेवाले लोग उन्हें खानेको देते हैं || ४० इ ।। स्वरन्ध्रं पररन्ध्रं च स्वेषु चैव परेषु च

Transliteration

govadrāsabhavac caiva kuryur ye vyavahāriṇaḥ | pāṇḍunandana! tava rājyāntaravartino ye kārīgarāḥ śilpinaś ca tava kāryaṃ kuryuḥ, teṣāṃ bharaṇa-poṣaṇasya prabandhaṃ tvayāvaśyaṃ kartavyaḥ; yathā gardabhaiḥ balībhiś ca kāryaṃ gṛhṇantaḥ lokās tebhyo bhojanaṃ dadati ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O son of Pāṇḍu, within your kingdom, the artisans and craftsmen who perform work for you must certainly be provided for and maintained by you. One should not take labor without sustenance—just as people who make donkeys and oxen work still give them food.”

Word by Word

गोवत्like a cow/ox

रासभवत्like a donkey

चand

एवindeed/just

कुर्युःshould do / would do

येthose who

व्यवहारिणःdealers/men engaged in transactions (practical men)

स्वरन्ध्रम्one's own weak point/flaw

पररन्ध्रम्another's weak point/flaw

चand

स्वेषुin one's own (matters/people)

चand

एवindeed/also

परेषुin others' (matters/people)

चand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)

artisans (kārīgarāḥ)

craftsmen (śilpinaḥ)

donkeys (gardabhāḥ)

oxen/bulls (balīvāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must ensure the livelihood and maintenance of those who work for the state—especially artisans and craftsmen. Taking labor without providing sustenance is unethical; even working animals are fed, so human workers deserve organized support.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues instructive counsel addressed to Yudhiṣṭhira (Pāṇḍunandana), emphasizing practical royal duty: the king should arrange the upkeep of workers in his realm who perform tasks for him.