Shloka 17

अध्याय २९ — वासुदेव–संजय संवादः

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठ: पुत्रो धृतराष्ट्रस्य मन्दो मूर्ख: शठ: संजय पापशील: । यस्यापवाद: पृथिवीं याति सर्वा सुयोधनं कुशलं तात पृच्छे:,तात संजय! जो धुृतराष्ट्रका ज्येष्ठ पुत्र, मन्दबुद्धि, मूर्ख, शठ और पापाचारी है तथा जिसकी निन्दा सारी पृथ्वीमें फैल रही है, उस सुयोधनसे भी मेरी ओरसे कुशल-मंगल पूछना

Transliteration

jyeṣṭhaḥ putro dhṛtarāṣṭrasya mando mūrkhaḥ śaṭhaḥ sañjaya pāpaśīlaḥ | yasyāpavādaḥ pṛthivīṃ yāti sarvā suyodhanaṃ kuśalaṃ tāta pṛccheḥ ||

Translation

O Sañjaya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s eldest son is dull-witted, foolish, deceitful, and of sinful conduct; his disgrace is spreading across the whole earth. Even so, dear one, convey my inquiry after the welfare of Suyodhana.

Word by Word

ज्येष्ठःeldest

पुत्रःson

धृतराष्ट्रस्यof Dhṛtarāṣṭra

मन्दःdull, slow-witted

मूर्खःfoolish

शठःdeceitful, crafty

संजयO Sañjaya

पापशीलःof sinful conduct

यस्यwhose

अपवादःreproach, blame, ill report

पृथिवीम्the earth

यातिgoes, spreads

सर्वाentire, whole

सुयोधनम्Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

कुशलम्well-being, welfare

तातdear one, son (term of address)

पृच्छेःask (about), inquire

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

Pṛthivī (the earth/world)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes