Shloka 8

Devanagari script

एवं प्रायो हि धर्मो<यं क्षत्रियाणां नराधिप । युद्धे क्षत्रियधर्मे च निरतो5यं वृकोदर:

Transliteration

evaṃ prāyo hi dharmo 'yaṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ narādhipa | yuddhe kṣatriyadharme ca nirato 'yaṃ vṛkodaraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô seigneur des hommes, tel est, pour l’essentiel, le dharma des kṣatriyas : ce Vṛkodara est voué à la bataille comme au code du guerrier. Sa conduite suit l’éthique âpre de la royauté, où le devoir s’accomplit souvent par le conflit.»

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

प्रायःgenerally, for the most part

हिindeed, for

धर्मःduty, law, righteousness

अयम्this

क्षत्रियाणाम्of the Kshatriyas (warriors)

नराधिपO king (lord of men)

युद्धेin battle

क्षत्रियधर्मेin the duty of a Kshatriya

चand

निरतःengaged, devoted

अयम्this (man)

वृकोदरःVrikodara (Bhima)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vṛkodara (Bhīma)

Kṣatriyas

narādhipa (a king addressed)

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?

The verse frames warfare and steadfast engagement in the warrior code as a typical (prāyaḥ) feature of Kṣatriya-dharma, suggesting that a Kṣatriya’s ethical duty is often expressed through readiness for battle and adherence to martial obligations.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains to a kingly listener that Vṛkodara (Bhīma) is naturally and consistently devoted to battle and the Kṣatriya code, presenting Bhīma’s warlike disposition as aligned with the expected duty of his social role.