Shloka 2

Devanagari script

विवर्धितश्न ऋषिभिह॑व्यकव्यैशक्ष भाविनि । नीतिमत्र विधास्यामि देवि तां कर्तुमहसि,'भामिनि! ऋषियोंने हव्य और कव्य देकर उसकी शक्तिको बहुत बढ़ा दिया है। अतः मैं यहाँ नीतिसे काम लूँगा। देवि! तुम उसी नीतिका पालन करो

Transliteration

vivardhitaś ca ṛṣibhir havyakavyaiḥ śaktir bhāvini | nītim atra vidhāsyāmi devi tāṃ kartum arhasi ||

Translation

Śalya said: “O passionate lady, the sages have greatly increased his power by offerings of havya and kavya, meant for the gods and for the ancestors. Therefore, here I shall proceed by nīti—policy and prudent strategy. O queen, you should follow that very course of wise conduct.”

Word by Word

विवर्धितःincreased, strengthened

ऋषिभिःby sages

हव्यकव्यैःwith oblations for gods and offerings for ancestors

शक्तःpowerful, capable

भाविनिO lady (address)

नीतिम्policy, strategy

अत्रhere

विधास्यामिI will employ / I will apply

देविO देवी

ताम्that (policy/strategy)

कर्तुम्to do, to carry out

अर्हसिyou ought / you are fit

भामिनिO passionate/angry lady

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śalya

Ṛ

Ṛṣis (sages)

Devas (implied by havya)

Pitṛs/ancestors (implied by kavya)

Devi/Bhāvini (addressed lady/queen)

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?

When an opponent’s strength is amplified by ritual or external support, one should respond not with rash force but with nīti—measured, ethical prudence and strategic counsel—and adhere steadily to that wise course.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya addresses a lady (Devi/Bhāvini), noting that certain sages have enhanced someone’s power through havya and kavya offerings; he therefore proposes to act through policy and strategy, urging her to follow the same prudent approach.