Shloka 16

Devanagari script

धर्ममूला सतां कीर्तिर्मिनुष्याणां जनाधिप । धर्म चैवेह कीर्ति च पालयन्‌ प्रबवीम्पहम्‌,“नरेश्वर! साधु पुरुषोंकी कीर्तिका मूल कारण धर्म ही है। मैं यहाँ उस धर्म और कीर्तिका पालन करता हुआ ही यह बात कह रहा हूँ

Transliteration

dharmamūlā satāṁ kīrtir manuṣyāṇāṁ janādhipa | dharmaṁ caiveha kīrtiṁ ca pālayan prabravīmi aham ||

Translation

Wahai penguasa manusia! Kemasyhuran orang-orang baik berakar pada dharma. Dengan menjaga dharma dan nama baik di dunia inilah aku mengucapkan kata-kata ini.

Word by Word

धर्ममूलाhaving dharma as its root

सताम्of the good/virtuous people

कीर्तिःfame, renown

मनुष्याणाम्of human beings

जनाधिपO lord of people (king)

धर्मम्dharma, righteousness

चand

एवindeed, only

इहhere (in this world/at this time)

कीर्तिम्fame

चand

पालयन्protecting/observing (while maintaining)

प्रब्रवीमिI say, I declare

इमम्this (statement/thing)

अहम्I

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

janādhipa (the king addressed, i.e., Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True and lasting fame (kīrti) for the virtuous is rooted in dharma; therefore one should speak and act while upholding righteousness and protecting moral integrity rather than pursuing expedient gain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) and frames his forthcoming statement as ethically grounded—he is speaking as one committed to maintaining dharma and honorable reputation amid the grim Kurukṣetra war report.