Shloka 90

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

प्राकारैश्न पुरद्वारैः प्रासादैश्व पृथग्विधै: । नगराणि न शोभन्ते हीनानि ब्राह्मणोत्तमै:,चहारदीवारियों, नगरद्वारों और भिन्न-भिन्न महलोंसे भी नगरोंकी तबतक शोभा नहीं होती जबतक वहाँ श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मण न रहें

Transliteration

prākāraiś ca puradvāraiḥ prāsādaiś ca pṛthagvidhaiḥ | nagarāṇi na śobhante hīnāni brāhmaṇottamaiḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Cities do not truly shine merely because they have ramparts, gates, and many kinds of palaces. A city bereft of the best of Brāhmaṇas has no real splendor.”

Word by Word

प्राकारैःby ramparts/walls

नnot

पुरद्वारैःby city-gates

प्रासादैःby palaces

चand

पृथग्विधैःof various kinds

नगराणिcities

नnot

शोभन्तेshine/are beautiful

हीनानिdevoid of, lacking

ब्राह्मणोत्तमैःby the best Brahmins (i.e., without them)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

cities (nagarāṇi)

ramparts (prākārāḥ)

city-gates (puradvārāṇi)

palaces (prāsādāḥ)

excellent Brāhmaṇas (brāhmaṇottamāḥ)

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?

Material grandeur—walls, gates, and palaces—does not constitute a city’s true greatness. Real splendor arises from the presence of exemplary Brāhmaṇas who sustain dharma through learning, counsel, ritual, and moral guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira is reflecting on what makes a kingdom flourish. He contrasts external fortifications and royal architecture with the inner strength of a community grounded in dharma, emphasizing the civic importance of virtuous and learned Brāhmaṇas.