Mahabharata 1.175.29 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 29

पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्

The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठ उवाच क्षत्रियाणां बल॑ तेजो ब्राह्मुणानां क्षमा बलम्‌ | क्षमा मां भजते यस्माद्‌ गम्यतां यदि रोचते

Transliteration

vasiṣṭha uvāca | kṣatriyāṇāṃ balaṃ tejo brāhmaṇānāṃ kṣamā balam | kṣamā māṃ bhajate yasmād gamyatāṃ yadi rocate ||

Translation

વસિષ્ઠે કહ્યું—ભદ્રે! ક્ષત્રિયોના બળનું સ્વરૂપ તેમનું તેજ છે અને બ્રાહ્મણોનું બળ ક્ષમા છે. કારણ કે ક્ષમા મને આશ્રયે છે, તેથી જો તને રુચે તો તું જઈ શકે છે.

Word by Word

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of Kṣatriyas
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तेजः: splendor, prowess
• तेजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brāhmaṇas
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• क्षमा: forbearance, forgiveness
• क्षमा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• क्षमा: forbearance
• क्षमा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• भजते: resorts to, attends upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• यस्मात्: because (from which reason)
• यस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• गम्यताम्: let (her/you) go; may one go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Passive

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• रोचते: is pleasing; (it) pleases
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts role-based virtues: a kṣatriya’s defining power is tejas (martial vigor and commanding energy), while a brāhmaṇa’s defining power is kṣamā (forbearance/forgiveness). True strength is presented as the virtue appropriate to one’s dharma, with Vasiṣṭha emphasizing restraint as his own guiding force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha speaks to someone seeking leave to depart. He frames his response through dharma: as a brāhmaṇa-sage, his ‘strength’ is forgiveness, and because he abides in forbearance, he grants permission—“you may go, if you wish.”