Shloka 39

Devanagari script

न धर्मपर एव स्यान्न चार्थपरमो नर: । न कामपरमो वा स्यात्‌ सर्वान्‌ सेवेत सर्वदा

Transliteration

na dharmapara eva syān na cārthaparamo naraḥ | na kāmaparamo vā syāt sarvān seveta sarvadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: A person should not be devoted exclusively to dharma alone, nor pursue only artha (wealth), nor live only for kāma (desire). Rather, at all times he should cultivate all the aims together, balancing duty, prosperity, and pleasure in proper measure.

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• धर्मपरः: devoted to dharma
• धर्मपरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: only/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• स्यात्: should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• अर्थपरमः: one who holds artha as supreme
• अर्थपरमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थपरम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• कामपरमः: one who holds desire as supreme
• कामपरमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामपरम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• स्यात्: should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• सेवेत: should serve/attend upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• सर्वदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not absolutize a single life-goal—dharma, artha, or kāma. The teaching recommends a disciplined balance, cultivating all appropriately so that duty guides prosperity and pleasure rather than being eclipsed by them.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a general ethical maxim is stated: the ideal person is not one-sided (only righteous, only acquisitive, or only pleasure-seeking), but one who consistently integrates the major human aims in a harmonious way.