Shloka 10

Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya

Devanagari script

वैशमग्पायन उवाच समाप्तवचने तस्मिन्नर्थशास्त्रविशारद: । पार्थो धर्मार्थतत्त्वज्ञो जगौ वाक्‍्यं प्रचोदित:

Transliteration

Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca: samāptavacane tasminn arthaśāstraviśāradaḥ | pārtho dharmārthatattvajño jagau vākyaṃ pracoditaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: When that expert in statecraft had finished speaking, Pārtha—knower of the true principles of dharma and worldly welfare—was prompted to respond and spoke these words.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

समाप्तवचनेwhen the speech was finished

तस्मिन्in that (situation/time)

अर्थशास्त्रविशारदःexpert in political science (arthaśāstra)

पार्थःPartha (Arjuna)

धर्मार्थतत्त्वज्ञःknower of the true principles of dharma and artha

जगौspoke/uttered

वाक्यम्speech/statement

प्रचोदितःprompted/urged

Speaker

वैशमग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Pārtha (Arjuna)

arthaśāstra-viśārada (an unnamed expert in statecraft)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical-political instruction: after a discourse by a master of arthaśāstra, Arjuna—presented as discerning both dharma (moral law) and artha (practical welfare)—is moved to speak, signaling that righteous governance requires integrating ethical principle with pragmatic policy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates a transition in dialogue: an expert in statecraft finishes his speech, and Arjuna (Pārtha), prompted by the situation, begins his reply.