Shloka 16

Vyāsa’s Counsel to Dhṛtarāṣṭra on Restraining Duryodhana (व्यास-धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

युराभिरुवाच यदि पुत्रसहस््राणि सर्वत्र समतैव मे । दीनस्यथ तु सतः शक्र पुत्रस्याभ्यधिका कृपा,सुरभि बोली--देवेन्द्र! यदि मेरे सहस्ौरों पुत्र हैं, तो मैं उन सबके प्रति समानभाव ही रखती हूँ; परंतु दीन-दुःखी पुत्रके प्रति अधिक दया उमड़ आती है

Transliteration

surabhir uvāca—yadi putrasahasrāṇi sarvatra samataiva me | dīnasya tu sataḥ śakra putrasyābhyadhikā kṛpā ||

Translation

Surabhi said: “O Śakra (Indra), even if I have thousands of sons, my attitude toward them is equal everywhere; yet when one son is helpless and suffering, a greater compassion naturally rises in me for that afflicted child.”

Word by Word

सुरभिःSurabhi (the cow)

उवाचsaid/spoke

यदिif/though

पुत्रsons

सहस्राणिthousands

सर्वत्रeverywhere/in all cases

समताequality/evenness

एवindeed/only

मेof me/my

दीनस्यof the poor/distressed

अथthen/now

तुbut/however

सतःof the good/virtuous (one)

शक्रO Śakra (Indra)

पुत्रस्यof (my) son

अभ्यधिकाgreater/exceeding

कृपाcompassion/mercy

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

Surabhi

Śakra (Indra)

putra (son/offspring)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes