Shloka 2

धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas

Devanagari script

कौरव्य पर्युपासीथा: स्थित्वा द्वैविध्यमात्मन: । तुष्टपुष्टबल: शत्रुरात्मवानिति च स्मरेत्‌,कुरुनन्दन! अपनी द्विविध अवस्था--बलाबलका अच्छी तरह विचार करके शत्रुसे युद्ध या मेल करना उचित है। यदि शत्रु मनस्वी है और उसके सैनिक हृष्ट-पुष्ट एवं संतुष्ट हैं तो उसपर सहसा धावा न करके उसे परास्त करनेका कोई दूसरा उपाय सोचे

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | kauravya paryupāsīthāḥ sthitvā dvaividhyam ātmanaḥ | tuṣṭa-puṣṭa-balaḥ śatrur ātmavān iti ca smaret kurunandana ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Wahai keturunan Kuru, kegembiraan kaum Kuru, setelah menimbang dengan saksama keadaanmu yang dua—kekuatan dan kelemahan—putuskanlah apakah patut berperang atau berdamai dengan musuh. Ingatlah: bila musuh bertekad kuat dan pasukannya kenyang, tangguh, serta puas, jangan menyerbu dengan gegabah; pikirkanlah cara lain untuk menjatuhkannya.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'kauravya', 'definition': 'O descendant of Kuru

• a form of address to a Kuru prince'}, {'term': 'paryupāsīthāḥ', 'definition': 'you should attend upon/consider carefully

• you should deliberate'}, {'term': 'sthitvā', 'definition': 'having stood

• having taken a firm position'}, {'term': 'dvaividhyam', 'definition': 'twofold state

• dual condition'}, {'term': 'ātmanaḥ', 'definition': 'of oneself

• of one’s own side (one’s own condition/resources)'}, {'term': 'tuṣṭa', 'definition': 'content, satisfied'}, {'term': 'puṣṭa', 'definition': 'well-nourished, thriving'}, {'term': 'bala', 'definition': 'strength

• also ‘troops/forces’ in context'}, {'term': 'śatruḥ', 'definition': 'enemy'}, {'term': 'ātmavān', 'definition': 'self-possessed, resolute, spirited'}, {'term': 'smaret', 'definition': 'one should remember/keep in mind'}, {'term': 'kurunandana', 'definition': 'O delight of the Kurus

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kuru lineage (Kauravya/Kurunandana)
• Enemy (śatru)
• Troops/forces (bala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before choosing war or reconciliation, a ruler should assess his own strengths and weaknesses and realistically evaluate the enemy’s morale and preparedness; if the opponent is resolute and well-supported, avoid impulsive attack and seek a more effective strategy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses a Kuru prince, offering counsel on statecraft: deliberate carefully, weigh one’s own condition, and do not launch a rash assault against an enemy whose forces are strong, well-fed, and satisfied.