Shloka 55

Devanagari script

उपसूष्टेषु दान्तेषु दुराचारेषु साधुषु । अविनीतेषु लुब्धेषु सुमहद्‌ दण्डधारणम्‌,जो जितेन्द्रिय पुरुषोंपर क्रोध और श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंपर अत्याचार करते हों, उद्धण्ड और लोभी हों, ऐसे लोगोंको जहाँ अत्यन्त कठोर और महान्‌ दण्ड दिया जाता हो, उस देशमें बिना विचारे निवास करना चाहिये

Transliteration

upasūṣṭeṣu dānteṣu durācāreṣu sādhuṣu | avinīteṣu lubdheṣu sumahad daṇḍadhāraṇam ||

Translation

Dijo Nārada: Donde aun los dueños de sí son hostigados, donde a los virtuosos se los trata con crueldad y donde prevalecen los indisciplinados y los codiciosos—aunque allí se impongan castigos de extrema dureza—no debe uno residir en tal país sin una cuidadosa deliberación.

Word by Word

उपसूष्टेषुamong/with those who are well-trained/fully disciplined (lit. well-instructed)

दान्तेषुamong the self-controlled

दुराचारेषुamong the wicked/ill-conducted

साधुषुamong the good/virtuous

अविनीतेषुamong the undisciplined/untrained

लुब्धेषुamong the greedy

सुमहत्very great

दण्डधारणम्the holding/administration of punishment

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A person should avoid living unthinkingly under a regime where the good are oppressed and punishment is excessively harsh; ethical discernment is required in choosing one’s place of residence and allegiance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s discourse on dharma and governance, Nārada describes signs of a disordered polity—where virtue is harmed and greed and indiscipline dominate—and warns against settling there without due consideration.