Shloka 20
Devanagari script
आत्मानमात्मना55श्वास्य मा शुचः पुरुषर्षभ । नाद्य शोकाभि भूतस्त्वं कायमुत्स्रष्टमहसि
Transliteration
ātmānam ātmanāśvāsya mā śucaḥ puruṣarṣabha | nādya śokābhibhūtas tvaṃ kāyam utsraṣṭum arhasi ||
Translation
Vidura said: “Steady your own self by your own inner strength; do not grieve, O best of men. Overwhelmed by sorrow today, you ought not to abandon your body (give way to self-destruction).”
Word by Word
आत्मानम्yourself (the self)
आत्मानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आत्मनाby yourself / with your own self
आत्मना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
आश्वास्यhaving consoled / having reassured
आश्वास्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-श्वस्
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
माdo not
मा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमा
शुचःgrieve
शुचः:
TypeVerb
Rootशुच्
FormImperative (prohibitive with मा), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
पुरुषर्षभO bull among men
पुरुषर्षभ:
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष-ऋषभ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
अद्यtoday / now
अद्य:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअद्य
शोकाभिभूतःovercome by grief
शोकाभिभूतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशोक-अभि-भूत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormNominative, Singular
कायम्the body
कायम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकाय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उत्स्रष्टुम्to abandon / to give up
उत्स्रष्टुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootउत्-सृज्
FormInfinitive (Tumun)
अर्हसिyou ought / you are fit
अर्हसि:
TypeVerb
Rootअर्ह्
FormPresent Indicative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
Speaker
विदुर उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
ViduraP
puruṣarṣabha (addressed person, unnamed in this verse)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
One should restrain grief through inner steadiness and self-governance; even in intense sorrow, abandoning life is not dharmic—endurance and composure are urged.
In the aftermath of calamity, Vidura addresses a grieving noble person, urging him to console himself, stop lamenting, and not succumb to despair that could lead to giving up his body.