Shloka 53

उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents

Devanagari script

धर्म्य देशय पन्थानं समर्थों ह्सि वारणे । क्षुद्रे जातिवरध॑ प्राहुर्मा कुरुष्व ममाप्रियम्‌,“राजन! तुम अपने जाति-भाई, कौरवों, सगे-सम्बन्धियों तथा हितैषी-सुहृदोंको धर्मानुकूल मार्गका उपदेश करो; क्योंकि तुम उन सबको रोकनेमें समर्थ हो। जाति-वधको अत्यन्त नीच कर्म बताया गया है। वह मुझे अत्यन्त अप्रिय है। तुम यह अप्रिय कार्य न करो

Transliteration

dharmaṃ deśaya panthānaṃ samartho 'si vāraṇe | kṣudre jātivadhāḥ prāhur mā kuruṣva mamāpriyam ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Teach them the righteous path. You are capable of restraining them. The killing of one’s own kin is declared a most base deed—something deeply hateful to me. Do not commit this grievous act.”

Word by Word

धर्म्यम्righteous, in accordance with dharma

देशयinstruct/teach (you should instruct)

पन्थानम्path, course (of conduct)

समर्थःcapable, able

असिyou are

वारणेin restraining/stopping

क्षुद्रेin a base/mean (act)

जाति-वधेin the killing of one’s own kin/clan

प्राहुःthey have said/call

माdo not (prohibitive)

कुरुष्वdo (for yourself); perform

ममof me; to me (my)

अप्रियम्unpleasant, disagreeable (thing)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Kauravas (implied by context of kin-slaying)

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?

One who has influence must actively guide others toward dharma and prevent wrongdoing; violence against one’s own kin is portrayed as especially blameworthy and should be avoided.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the war-context of Bhīṣma-parvan, a speaker urges a powerful figure to counsel and restrain his own side, warning that clan-killing is a disgraceful act and personally intolerable.