Shloka 14

Devanagari script

ततो दुर्योधनस्याड्के वर्तन्तामकुतो भया: । अधार्मिकीं तु मा बुद्धि मौख्यात्‌ कुर्वन्तु केवलात्‌,“तत्पश्चात्‌ वे दुर्योधनके आश्रयमें निर्भय होकर रह सकते हैं। केवल मूर्खतावश वे अपनी बुद्धिको अधर्मपरायण न बनावें

Transliteration

tato duryodhanasyāṅke vartantām akuto-bhayāḥ | adhārmikīṃ tu mā buddhiṃ maukhyāt kurvantu kevalāt ||

Translation

Then, let them remain in Duryodhana’s protection, free from fear on every side. But let them not, out of sheer folly, turn their understanding toward unrighteousness—choosing adharma merely through thoughtless stupidity.

Word by Word

ततःthereafter; from that

दुर्योधनस्यof Duryodhana

अङ्केin the lap; in the shelter

वर्तन्ताम्let them remain; let them stay

अकुतोभयाःfearless (having fear from nowhere)

अधार्मिकाम्unrighteous; adharma-inclined

तुbut; however

माdo not

बुद्धिम्intellect; intention

मौख्यात्out of foolishness; due to folly

कुर्वन्तुlet them do; let them make

केवलात्merely; solely

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

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?

Fearlessness or security gained by taking shelter under a powerful protector is not a license for moral collapse; one must not let buddhi become adhārmikī merely out of foolishness.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator frames a counsel about those who may stay under Duryodhana’s protection without fear, while warning them not to adopt unrighteous intentions or policies simply through heedless folly.