Shloka 22

सौप्तिकपर्व — धृष्टद्युम्नसारथिवृत्तान्तः

Report of the Night Raid and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament

Devanagari script

न हि प्रमत्तेन नरेण शक्‍्यं विद्या तप: श्रीविंपुलं यशो वा । पश्याप्रमादेन निहत्य शत्रून्‌ सर्वान्‌ महेन्द्र सुखमेधमानम्‌,'प्रमादी मनुष्य कभी विद्या, तप, वैभव अथवा महान्‌ यश नहीं प्राप्त कर सकता। देखो, देवराज इन्द्र प्रमाद छोड़ देनेके ही कारण अपने सारे शत्रुओंका संहार करके सुखपूर्वक उन्नति कर रहे हैं

Transliteration

na hi pramattena nareṇa śakyaṃ vidyā tapaḥ śrī-vipulaṃ yaśo vā | paśyāpramādena nihatya śatrūn sarvān mahendraḥ sukham edhamānam ||

Translation

A man who is careless cannot truly attain learning, austerity, abundant prosperity, or great fame. See how Mahendra (Indra), by casting off negligence and striking down all his enemies, continues to flourish and advance in happiness.

Word by Word

• {'na hi': 'indeed not

• certainly not', 'pramatta': 'careless, negligent, intoxicated with heedlessness', 'nareṇa': 'by/for a man (instrumental of nara)', 'śakyam': 'possible, feasible', 'vidyā': 'knowledge, learning', 'tapaḥ': 'austerity, disciplined effort', 'śrī': 'fortune, prosperity, splendor', 'vipulam': 'abundant, extensive', 'yaśaḥ': 'fame, renown', 'paśya': 'see! behold! (imperative)', 'apramādena': 'by vigilance

• through freedom from negligence', 'nihatya': 'having slain, having destroyed', 'śatrūn': 'enemies (accusative plural)', 'sarvān': 'all (of them)', 'mahendraḥ': 'Mahendra, Indra (king of the gods)', 'sukham': 'happiness, ease', 'edhamānam': 'flourishing, increasing, prospering'}

Speaker

सूत उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Mahendra (Indra)
• enemies (śatravaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that negligence (pramāda) blocks higher attainments—learning, austerity, prosperity, and fame—whereas vigilance (apramāda) enables success. Indra is cited as an exemplar: by remaining alert and resolute, he overcomes enemies and continues to prosper.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Sūta addresses the listeners with a moral observation drawn from epic exempla. He contrasts the failure of the careless person with Indra’s success, using Indra’s victory over his foes as a narrative illustration to urge alertness and disciplined conduct amid the unfolding war context.