Shloka 13

Dambhodbhava, Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and the Counsel to Abandon Hubris

Udyoga-parva 94

Devanagari script

त्वय्यधीन: शमो राजन्‌ मयि चैव विशाम्पते । पुत्रान्‌ स्थापय कौरव्य स्थापयिष्याम्यहं परान्‌

Transliteration

tvayy adhīnaḥ śamo rājan mayi caiva viśāmpate | putrān sthāpaya kauravya sthāpayiṣyāmy ahaṃ parān ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O king, peace depends on you, and it depends on me as well, O lord of the people. Restrain your sons within the bounds of propriety, O Kaurava; and I shall restrain the others (the Pāṇḍavas).”

Word by Word

• त्वयि: in you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Saptami, Ekavacana

• अधीनः: dependent (on)
• अधीनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधीन
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Ekavacana

• शमः: peace, pacification
• शमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Ekavacana

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Pum, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Saptami, Ekavacana

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

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

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: Pum, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Pum, Dvitiya, Bahuvacana

• स्थापय: place/establish; keep (under control)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (णिच् → स्थापय)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Madhyama, Ekavacana

• कौरव्य: O Kaurava (descendant of Kuru)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव्य
• Form: Pum, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• स्थापयिष्यामि: I will place/keep (under control)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (णिच् → स्थापय) + इष्य (भविष्यत्)
• Form: Luṭ (Periphrastic Future), Uttama, Ekavacana

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Prathama, Ekavacana

• परान्: the others (the opposing side)
• परान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective (substantive use)
• Root: पर
• Form: Pum, Dvitiya, Bahuvacana

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Kaurava (king)
• Kauravas (the king's sons)
• Pāṇḍavas (implied by 'parān')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Peace is not achieved by blaming the other side; it requires each leader to restrain and discipline their own party. Ethical governance begins with controlling one’s own kin and impulses, making reconciliation a shared duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the context of pre-war negotiations, the speaker emphasizes that a settlement depends on mutual internal control: the Kaurava king must keep his sons in check, while the other mediator/party undertakes to keep the Pāṇḍavas restrained, so that a truce can be maintained.