Shloka 146

Devanagari script

चिकीर्षन्‌ कर्म शत्रुभ्यो बाहुद्रव्यानुरूपत: । इसीलिये वे अपनी विशाल भुजाओंकी ओर देखते हुए यात्रा करते हैं। राजन्‌! अपने बाहुबलरूपी वैभवपर उन्हें गर्व है। अतः वे अपनी दोनों भुजाएँ दिखाते हुए शत्रुओंसे बदला लेनेके लिये अपने बाहुबलके अनुरूप ही पराक्रम करना चाहते हैं

Transliteration

cikīrṣan karma śatrubhyo bāhudravyānurūpataḥ |

Translation

Vidura says: “Intending to act against their enemies, they undertake their course in a manner proportionate to the wealth and strength of their arms. Therefore they proceed looking toward their mighty arms; O King, they take pride in the splendor that is their arm-power, and, displaying both arms, they wish to perform valorous deeds—measured by their own strength—in order to exact vengeance from their foes.”

Word by Word

चिकीर्षन्wishing to do / intending to perform

कर्मdeed, act

शत्रुभ्यःfor/against the enemies

बाहुद्रव्य-अनुरूपतःin accordance with arm-strength/wealth (of arms)

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Rājan (the King—Dhṛtarāṣṭra, by context)

śatru (enemies, unspecified)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura highlights the psychology of pride and retaliation: those who rely on arm-power and resources tend to measure their actions by their strength and display it openly, but such pride-driven vengeance can distort judgment and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vidura’s counsel to the king, he describes how certain warriors, confident in their own might and means, set out to confront enemies, flaunting their strength and seeking revenge through feats matching their arm-power.