Shloka 3

Bala and Dharma in Kṣatriya Governance (बल-धर्म सम्बन्धः)

Devanagari script

परचक्राभियातस्य दुर्बलस्य बलीयसा । आपन्नचेतसो ब्रूहि कि कार्यमवशिष्यते

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

paracakrābhiyātasya durbalasya balīyasā |

āpannacetasō brūhi kiṁ kāryam avaśiṣyate ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira dit : «Dis-moi : lorsqu’un roi faible est assailli par une armée ennemie plus puissante que lui, et que son esprit est accablé par le malheur, quelle voie lui reste-t-il ?»

Word by Word

• परचक्र: of the enemy host/army
• परचक्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परचक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अभियातस्य: of one who has been attacked/assailed
• अभियातस्य: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-या (धातु) → अभियात (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दुर्बलस्य: of the weak (man)
• दुर्बलस्य: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बलीयसा: by the stronger (one)
• बलीयसा: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक) → बलीयस् (तुलनात्मक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• आपन्नचेतसः: of one whose mind is distressed/overwhelmed
• आपन्नचेतसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपन्न-चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Second, Singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• कार्यम्: duty/act to be done
• कार्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातु से)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अवशिष्यते: remains/is left
• अवशिष्यते: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-शिष् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Third, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• enemy army (paracakra)
• a weak ruler/king (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a rājadharma problem: when power is unequal and the ruler is mentally shaken, what dharmic and practical options remain. It invites counsel on prudent action under invasion—how to preserve people, polity, and righteousness when direct resistance is not viable.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Yudhiṣṭhira asks for guidance about a beleaguered ruler—one attacked by a stronger enemy and distressed—seeking to know what actionable path is still available in such a desperate situation.