Shloka 35

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 123 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa–Vidura Upadeśa to Duryodhana

Keśava-vākya aftermath

Devanagari script

पृथक्‌ च विनिविष्टानां धर्म धीरो<नुरुध्यते । मध्यमो<र्थ कलिं बाल: काममेवानुरुध्यते,“पृथक्‌-पृथक्‌ स्थित हुए धर्म, अर्थ और काममेंसे किसी एकको चुनना हो तो धीर पुरुष धर्मका ही अनुसरण करता है, मध्यम श्रेणीका मनुष्य कलहके कारणभूत अर्थको ही ग्रहण करता है और अधम श्रेणीका अज्ञानी पुरुष कामको ही पाना चाहता है

Transliteration

pṛthak ca viniviṣṭānāṃ dharma dhīro'nurudhyate | madhyamo'rtha-kaliṃ bālaḥ kāmam evānurudhyate ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Lorsque dharma, artha et kāma se tiennent séparés et qu’il faut en choisir un, le sage inébranlable suit le dharma. L’homme moyen saisit l’artha, si souvent germe de discorde. Mais l’ignorant et le vil ne poursuit que le kāma.»

Word by Word

{'pṛthak''separately, apart', 'viniviṣṭānām': 'of those that are set/placed (distinctly)

here, of the aims set apart', 'dharma''righteous duty

right conduct', 'dhīraḥ''steadfast, wise, self-possessed person', 'anurudhyate': 'follows, adheres to, aligns oneself with', 'madhyamaḥ': 'middling, of intermediate grade', 'arthaḥ': 'wealth, power, advantage

material interest', 'kaliḥ / kaliṃ''strife, quarrel, discord (also the age/personification of Kali)

hereconflict-causing principle', 'bālaḥ': 'childish, ignorant, foolish person', 'kāmaḥ': 'desire, pleasure, sensual enjoyment', 'eva': 'only, indeed (emphatic)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

dharma

artha

kāma

kali (as strife)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A person’s character is revealed by what they choose when the aims of life diverge: the wise prioritize dharma, the average prioritize artha (which can breed rivalry), and the ignorant chase kāma alone.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a reflective maxim is stated to frame ethical decision-making in the tense pre-war context of the Udyoga Parva, where competing interests and desires threaten to override righteousness.