Shloka 40

अध्याय ९ — धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति राजनित्युपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Royal Policy to Yudhiṣṭhira

Devanagari script

अनुवर्त्स्यन्ति वा धीमन्‌ समेषु विषमेषु च

Transliteration

anuvartsyanti vā dhīman sameṣu viṣameṣu ca

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O wise one, will they continue to follow (him), both in times of ease and in times of hardship?”

Word by Word

• अनुवर्त्स्यन्ति: they will follow/obey
• अनुवर्त्स्यन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनुवृत् (धातु: वृत्, उपसर्ग: अनु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), 3rd, Plural, परस्मैपदम्

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• धीमन्: O wise one
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• समेषु: in even (situations/places)
• समेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• विषमेषु: in uneven/difficult (situations/places)
• विषमेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True allegiance and dharmic commitment are tested not only in favorable circumstances but especially in adversity; steadfast following in both ‘sameṣu’ and ‘viṣameṣu’ is the ethical measure of loyalty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana poses a pointed question to a wise interlocutor about whether certain people will remain followers/attendants consistently—through both smooth and difficult situations—highlighting the uncertainty and moral weight of continued support during hardship.