Shloka 74

Devanagari script

अत एतैरबलैरेव बलिन: स्वार्थमिच्छता । आर्जवेनाभिगन्तव्या विनाशाय हानार्जवम्‌,ये इन्हीं बलोंसे बलवान होते हैं। अपने अभीष्ट अर्थकी सिद्धि चाहनेवाले पुरुषको इनके पास सरलभावसे जाना चाहिये; क्‍योंकि इनके प्रति किया हुआ कुटिल भाव विनाशका कारण बन जाता है

Transliteration

ata etair abalair eva balinaḥ svārtham icchatā | ārjavena abhigantavyā vināśāya hānārjavam ||

Translation

Por tanto, es precisamente por estos medios, tenidos por ‘débiles’, como los verdaderamente fuertes se hacen fuertes. Quien busca el cumplimiento de su propósito legítimo debe acercarse a ellos con rectitud; pues la torcedura hacia ellos—la falta de honestidad y franqueza—se vuelve causa de ruina.

Word by Word

अतःtherefore

एतैःby these

अबलैःweak (ones)

एवindeed/only

बलिनःthe strong (men)

स्वार्थम्one's own purpose/interest

इच्छताby/for one who desires

आर्जवेनwith straightforwardness

अभिगन्तव्याःshould be approached

विनाशायfor destruction

हानabandon (you should give up)

आर्जवम्straightforwardness

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janaka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Janaka teaches that apparent ‘soft’ virtues—especially ārjava (straightforward honesty)—are the real source of strength and success; deceit and crooked dealing (anārjava) ultimately bring destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic discourse of Śānti Parva, King Janaka offers counsel on conduct: a seeker of one’s goal should approach others (and one’s duties) with candor and integrity, warning that duplicity toward such principles or persons leads to ruin.