Shloka 32

Devanagari script

शयानं चानुशेते हि तिष्ठन्तं चानुतिष्ठति । अनुधावति धावन्तं कर्म पूर्वकृतं नरम्‌,मनुष्यका पूर्वकृत कर्म उसके सोनेपर साथ ही सोता है, उठनेपर साथ ही उठता है और दौड़नेपर भी साथ-ही-साथ दौड़ता है

Transliteration

śayānaṃ cānuśete hi tiṣṭhantaṃ cānutiṣṭhati | anudhāvati dhāvantaṃ karma pūrvakṛtaṃ naram ||

Translation

A man’s previously performed karma clings to him unfailingly—lying down when he lies down, rising when he rises, and running alongside him when he runs.

Word by Word

शयानम्lying down (a man)

चand

अनुशेतेlies along with / follows in lying down

हिindeed

तिष्ठन्तम्standing (a man)

चand

अनुतिष्ठतिstands up along with / follows in standing

अनुधावतिruns after / follows in running

धावन्तम्running (a man)

कर्मdeed; karma

पूर्वकृतम्done previously

नरम्man

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

nara (human being)

pūrvakṛta karma (previously performed action)

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

What is the core teaching?

Previously performed actions (karma) remain inseparable from the doer; they accompany a person in every state—rest, activity, or flight—and inevitably yield their results. The verse stresses personal responsibility and the inescapability of ethical consequence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Strī Parva’s aftermath of the Kurukṣetra slaughter, Vidura offers moral counsel and reflection. Here he emphasizes that no one can outrun the fruits of past deeds—an admonition relevant to grief, blame, and the search for meaning after catastrophe.