Shloka 188

Devanagari script

मित्रेषु वत्सलश्षास्मि त्वद्धक्तश्न विशेषत: । तस्मादेवं पुनः साधो मय्याचरितुमरहसि,तुमने मुझे प्राणदान दिया है। इसीसे मुझपर तुम्हारे सौहार्दका प्रभाव पड़ा। मैं धर्मको जानता हूँ, गुणोंका मूल्य समझता हूँ, विशेषतः तुम्हारे प्रति कृतज्ञ हूँ, मित्रवत्सल हूँ और सबसे बड़ी बात यह है कि मैं तुम्हारा भक्त हो गया हूँ; अतः मेरे अच्छे मित्र! तुम फिर मेरे साथ ऐसा ही बर्ताव करो--मेलजोल बढ़ाकर मेरे साथ घूमो-फिरो

Transliteration

mitreṣu vatsalaś cāsmi tvadbhaktaś ca viśeṣataḥ | tasmād evaṃ punaḥ sādho mayy ācaritum arhasi ||

Translation

“I am affectionate toward friends, and, above all, I have become devoted to you. Therefore, O good man, you should again behave toward me in this very way—treat me with friendly intimacy and keep company with me.”

Word by Word

मित्रेषुamong friends

वत्सलःaffectionate

अस्मिI am

त्वत्of you/your

भक्तःdevotee

चand

विशेषतःespecially

तस्मात्therefore

एवम्thus/in this way

पुनःagain

साधोO good man / O noble one

मयिtowards/in me

आचरितुम्to behave/to act

अर्हसिyou ought/are fit

Speaker

लोमश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lomaśa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical reciprocity: gratitude and affection deepen into devotion, and such bonds call for continued friendly conduct—maintaining companionship and goodwill as a form of dharmic behavior.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa speaks to another person, declaring his special devotion and friendliness, and requests that the other continue to treat him with the same warm, companionable intimacy as before.