Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अथ यो गुणसम्पन्नान्‌ हृदयस्याप्रियानपि । प्रियेण कुरुते वश्यांश्विरं यशसि तिष्ठति,“जो अपने मनको प्रिय न लगनेवाले गुणवान्‌ व्यक्तियोंको भी अपने प्रिय व्यवहारद्वारा वशमें कर लेता है, वह दीर्घकालतक यशस्वी बना रहता है

Transliteration

atha yo guṇasampannān hṛdayasyāpriyān api | priyeṇa kurute vaśyāṁś ciraṁ yaśasi tiṣṭhati ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Même envers des hommes vertueux mais déplaisants à son propre cœur—celui qui, par une conduite aimable et agréable, les gagne à la bienveillance et à son influence, demeure établi dans une renommée durable.

Word by Word

अथthen/now

यःwho (he who)

गुणसम्पन्नान्endowed with virtues

हृदयस्यof the heart/mind

अप्रियान्unpleasant (to one)

अपिeven/also

प्रियेनby/with what is pleasing (pleasant conduct)

कुरुतेdoes/makes

वश्यान्submissive/under control

चिरम्for a long time

यशसिin fame/glory

तिष्ठतिstands/remains

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

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?

Lasting fame comes to one who can win over even personally disagreeable yet virtuous people through pleasing, respectful conduct—showing self-control, tact, and ethical leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva’s counsel-oriented setting before the great war, Vaiśampāyana voices a general maxim on statecraft and interpersonal dharma: influence is best secured not by force but by agreeable behavior, even toward those one does not naturally like.