Shloka 3

Sanatsujāta–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Saṃvāda: Brahmacarya and the Formless Brahman

Udyoga Parva 44

Devanagari script

स्पृहयालुरुग्र: परुषो वा वदान्य: क्रोधं बिभ्रन्मनसा वै विकत्थी । नृशंसधर्मा: षडिमे जना वै प्राप्पाप्पयर्थ नोत सभाजयन्ते

Transliteration

spṛhayālur ugraḥ paruṣo vā vadānyaḥ krodhaṃ bibhran manasā vai vikatthī | nṛśaṃsadharmāḥ ṣaḍ ime janā vai prāptārthaṃ nauta sabhājayanti ||

Translation

Sanatsujāta dit : «Qu’on soit avide et farouche, dur de parole, ou même généreux en apparence ; qu’on nourrisse la colère au fond du cœur, ou qu’on se vante de soi-même — ces six sortes d’hommes ont véritablement une nature cruelle. Ayant obtenu richesse ou avantage, ils ne l’honorent pas en l’employant selon le juste usage.»

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'spṛhayālu', 'definition': 'greedy, covetous

• one who hankers after gain'}, {'term': 'ugra', 'definition': 'fierce, violent, formidable'}, {'term': 'paruṣa', 'definition': 'harsh, rough

• harsh-speaking'}, {'term': 'vadānya', 'definition': 'generous, liberal (often outwardly or reputationally)'}, {'term': 'krodha', 'definition': 'anger'}, {'term': 'bibhrat (√bhṛ)', 'definition': 'bearing, carrying, holding (here: holding anger within)'}, {'term': 'manasā', 'definition': 'in the mind, mentally'}, {'term': 'vikatthī (vikatthate)', 'definition': 'boastful

• one who brags/self-praises'}, {'term': 'nṛśaṃsa-dharma', 'definition': 'cruel-natured

• having a ruthless disposition'}, {'term': 'ṣaḍ ime janāḥ', 'definition': 'these six types of people'}, {'term': 'prāpta-artha', 'definition': 'obtained wealth/advantage

• what has been gained'}, {'term': 'nauta sabhājayanti', 'definition': 'they do not honor/respect

Speaker

सनत्युजात उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanatsujāta

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sanatsujāta warns that certain inner vices—greed, harshness, concealed anger, and self-boasting (even when paired with outward generosity)—mark a ruthless character. Such people fail to treat gained wealth or success as a trust to be used rightly; instead, they squander its moral purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-setting, Sanatsujāta instructs on ethical conduct and inner discipline. Here he classifies six dispositions that lead to cruelty and misuse of prosperity, sharpening the moral critique relevant to rulers and decision-makers on the brink of conflict.