Shloka 41

अध्याय २९ — वासुदेव–संजय संवादः

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance

Devanagari script

अन्धांश्व सर्वान्‌ स्थविरांस्तथैव हस्त्याजीवा बहवो ये>त्र सन्ति । आखूयाय मां कुशलिन सम तेभ्यो- 5प्यनामयं परिपृच्छेर्जघन्यम्‌

Transliteration

andhāṁś ca sarvān sthavirāṁs tathaiva hastyājīvā bahavo ye ’tra santi | āhūyāya māṁ kuśalinaḥ samaṁ tebhyo ’py anāmayaṁ paripṛccheḥ jaghanyam ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “And also all the blind, and likewise all the aged, and the many who earn their living by elephants who are here—having summoned me, you should inquire after their welfare and freedom from illness, along with the rest. Even the least among them should not be left unasked.”

Word by Word

• अन्धान्: the blind (persons)
• अन्धान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• स्थविरान्: the elders/old men
• स्थविरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थविर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: so; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हस्ति: elephant
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्ति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आजीवाः: those whose livelihood is (so-and-so); livelihood-followers
• आजीवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आजीव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• सन्ति: are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural

• आहूय: having summoned/called
• Type: Verb
• Root: आह्वा
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• कुशलिनः: being well; safe; in good condition
• कुशलिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सम्: properly; fully (prefix-like adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्

• तेभ्यः: from them; than them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Plural

• अपि: also; even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अनामयम्: freedom from illness; well-being
• अनामयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनामय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परिपृच्छेः: you should inquire/ask about
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ्
• Form: Optative, Second, Singular

• जघन्यम्: last; least; lowest (as a minimum)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जघन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• the blind (andhāḥ)
• the aged (sthavirāḥ)
• elephant-dependent workers/elephant-handlers (hastyājīvāḥ)