Shloka 21

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 126 — Kṛṣṇa’s Indictment of Misrule and the Varuṇa Analogy (कृष्णवाक्यं–धर्मपाशदृष्टान्तः)

Devanagari script

अचिन्तयन्‌ कंचिदन्यं यावज्जीवं तथा5<चरेत्‌ । एष धर्म: क्षत्रियाणां मतमेतच्च मे सदा

Transliteration

acintayan kañcid anyaṃ yāvajjīvaṃ tathā caret | eṣa dharmaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ matam etac ca me sadā ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Let him, without giving heed to anyone else, conduct himself in this very way throughout his life. This is the dharma of kṣatriyas—and this has always been my settled view.”

Word by Word

• अचिन्तयन्: not thinking/considering
• अचिन्तयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम, एकवचन, कर्तरि, पुं, प्रथमा

• कञ्चित्: someone/anyone
• कञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अन्यम्: other
• अन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थक)

• जीवम्: life
• जीवम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: thus/in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

• चरेत्: should act/should conduct oneself
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम, एकवचन, कर्तरि

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्मः: duty/law
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of the Kshatriyas
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• मतम्: opinion/view
• मतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from मन्/मन्- ‘to think’)
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• मे: my/of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts steadfast adherence to one’s prescribed kṣatriya-duty: acting consistently in the stated manner for one’s whole life, without being swayed by others’ opinions or pressures.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s lead-up to war and negotiations, Vaiśaṃpāyana frames a norm of warrior conduct, emphasizing unwavering commitment to the course of action previously described as proper for kṣatriyas.