Shloka 5

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Saṃvāda on Restraint and Rājānīti

Chapter 50

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच शृणु मे विस्तरेणेमां कथां भारतसत्तम । भूय एव महाराज यदि ते श्रवणे मति:,वैशम्पायनजीने कहा--भरतवंशशिरोमणे! महाराज जनमेजय! यदि तुम्हारा मन यह सब सुननेमें लगता है तो पुनः विस्तारके साथ इस कथाको सुनो

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | śṛṇu me vistareṇemāṃ kathāṃ bhāratasattama | bhūya eva mahārāja yadi te śravaṇe matiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O best of the Bhāratas! O great king! If your mind is still intent on listening, then hear this very tale once more, now in fuller detail.”

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

शृणुlisten

मेof me / my

विस्तरेणin detail / with elaboration

इमाम्this

कथाम्story, narrative

भारत-सत्तमO best of the Bharatas

भूयःagain, further

एवindeed, just

महा-राजO great king

यदिif

तेof you / your

श्रवणेin listening / in hearing

मतिःinclination, mind, intent

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya (implied by mahārāja and context)

Bhārata lineage (Bhāratas)

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?

The verse highlights the ethical value of attentive listening (śravaṇa) and the responsible transmission of tradition: a worthy listener invites a fuller, more careful telling, and the narrator responds by expanding the account for clarity and completeness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses King Janamejaya, confirming the king’s continued interest and readiness to hear more, and announces that he will retell or continue the story in greater detail.