Shloka 13

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule

Devanagari script

ब्रवीम्यहं न कार्पण्यान्नार्थहेतो: कथंचन । भीष्मेण दत्तमिच्छामि न त्वया राजसत्तम

Transliteration

bravīmy ahaṃ na kārpaṇyān nārtha-hetoḥ kathaṃcana | bhīṣmeṇa dattam icchāmi na tvayā rāja-sattama ||

Translation

Dijo Vāyu: «No hablo por mezquindad ni por afán de ganancia en modo alguno. Oh el mejor de los reyes, deseo lo que otorgó Bhīṣma, no nada que venga de ti.»

Word by Word

• ब्रवीमि: I speak / I say
• ब्रवीमि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)

• कार्पण्यात्: from wretchedness / out of meanness
• कार्पण्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्पण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• न: nor / not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)

• अर्थ-हेतोः: from/for the sake of wealth (money-motive)
• अर्थ-हेतोः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थहेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• कथंचन: in any way / at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)

• भीष्मेण: by Bhishma
• भीष्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दत्तम्: given (that which is given)
• दत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इच्छामि: I desire / I want
• इच्छामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)

• त्वया: by you / from you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• राज-सत्तम: O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Bhīṣma
• rāja-sattama (addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds integrity in speech and conduct: one should not speak or act from baseness or greed. It also stresses the ethical weight of a gift’s source—accepting (or seeking) what is rightfully given by a worthy giver, while refusing what would compromise honor or propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses a king and clarifies his motive: he is not petitioning out of poverty or for profit. He insists on receiving only what Bhīṣma has given, explicitly rejecting any substitute offered by the king, thereby asserting principle over convenience.