Shloka 61

उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents

Devanagari script

प्रसादये त्वामतुलप्रभाव॑ं त्वं नो गतिर्दर्शयिता च धीर: । न चापि ते मद्वशगा महर्षे न चाधर्म कर्तुमर्हा हि मे मति:

Transliteration

prasādaye tvām atulaprabhāvaṁ tvaṁ no gatir darśayitā ca dhīraḥ | na cāpi te madvaśagā maharṣe na cādharma kartum arhā hi me matiḥ |

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Wahai Mahārṣi yang berkuasa tiada banding, aku memohon perkenanmu. Engkaulah tempat berlindung kami, penunjuk jalan, dan insan bijak yang teguh. Namun, wahai resi agung, putra-putraku tidak berada dalam kendaliku; dan batinku pun tidak menyetujui perbuatan adharma—lalu apa yang harus kulakukan?”

Word by Word

• {'prasādaye': 'I seek to please

• I try to win favor', 'tvām': 'you (accusative singular)', 'atula-prabhāvam': 'of incomparable might/influence', 'tvaṁ': 'you (nominative singular)', 'naḥ': 'for us

• our', 'gatiḥ': 'refuge

• ultimate resort', 'darśayitā': 'one who shows (the way)

• guide', 'ca': 'and', 'dhīraḥ': 'steadfast, wise, self-controlled person', 'na': 'not', 'api': 'even

• also', 'te': 'your', 'mad-vaśagāḥ': 'under my control

• obedient to me', 'maharṣe': 'O great ṛṣi (vocative)', 'adharma': 'unrighteousness

• violation of dharma', 'kartum': 'to do

• to commit', 'arhā': 'fit

• worthy (here: ‘it is not proper’)', 'hi': 'indeed

• for', 'me': 'my', 'matiḥ': 'mind

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Mahārṣi (the addressed sage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between knowing dharma and lacking the practical power (or resolve) to enforce it. Dhṛtarāṣṭra admits that his conscience does not approve adharma, yet his inability to restrain his sons becomes a moral failure of kingship and self-mastery.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses a revered sage, praising him as a powerful protector and guide, and seeks his favor. He confesses that although he does not wish to act unrighteously, his sons are beyond his control—foreshadowing the unfolding conflict driven by the Kauravas’ conduct and the king’s weakness.