Shloka 69

Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154

Devanagari script

इसीप्रकार राजर्षि श्वेतका भी बालक मर गया था, परंतु धर्मनिष्ठ श्वेतने उसे पुनः जीवित कर दिया था ।। तथा कश्रिल्लभेत्‌ सिद्धो मुनिर्वा देवतापि वा | कृपणानामनुक्रोशं कुर्याद्‌ वो रूवतामिह,इसी प्रकार सम्भव है कोई सिद्ध मुनि या देवता मिल जायेँ और यहाँ रोते हुए तुम दीन- दुखियोंपर दया कर दें

Transliteration

tathā kaścid labhet siddho munir vā devatāpi vā | kṛpaṇānām anukrośaṃ kuryād vo ruvatām iha ||

Translation

De même, l’enfant du roi-sage Śveta mourut aussi ; mais Śveta, fidèle au dharma, le ramena à la vie. Et il se peut encore que vous rencontriez quelque muni accompli, pourvu de siddhi, voire une divinité, qui, vous voyant ici misérables et en pleurs, ait compassion des affligés et vous accorde un soulagement.

Word by Word

• {'tathā': 'so

• in the same way', 'kaścit': 'someone

• some person', 'labhet': 'may obtain

• may meet', 'siddhaḥ': 'a perfected being

• one possessing spiritual attainments/powers', 'muniḥ': 'sage

• silent ascetic', 'vā': 'or', 'devatā': 'deity

• divine being', 'api': 'even

• also', 'kṛpaṇānām': 'of the wretched/poor/helpless (genitive plural)', 'anukrośam': 'compassion

• merciful concern', 'kuryāt': 'should do

• may perform', 'vaḥ': 'to you

• your (plural)', 'ruvatām': 'of those who are crying/weeping (genitive plural)', 'iha': 'here

Speaker

जम्बुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• जम्बुक (Jambuka)
• सिद्ध मुनि (a siddha sage)
• देवता (a deity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates compassion (anukrośa) as a dharmic response to suffering: even when one is helpless and grieving, relief may come through the mercy of a spiritually accomplished sage or a deity, and the righteous are expected to show kindness to the afflicted.

What is happening in the narrative?

Jambuka expresses a possibility of rescue: that someone extraordinary—a siddha muni or even a divine being—might be encountered and, moved by the lament of those present, extend compassion to the miserable and alleviate their distress.