Shloka 35

Sarasvatī–Tārkṣya Saṃvāda: Agnihotra-vidhi, Dāna-phala, and Mokṣa-prasaṅga (सरस्वती–तार्क्ष्यसंवादः)

Devanagari script

काम॑ तथा तिष्ठ नरेन्द्र तस्मिन्‌ यथा कृतस्ते समय: सभायाम्‌ । दाशार्हयोधैस्तु हतारियोध॑ प्रतीक्षतां नागपुरं भवन्तम्‌,“महाराज! आप चाहें तो सभामें जो प्रतिज्ञा आपने की है, उसीके पालनमें लगे रहें। यदि आपकी आज्ञा हो तो यदुवंशी योद्धा आपके समस्त शत्रुओंको मार डालें और हस्तिनापुर नगर आपके शुभागमनकी प्रतीक्षा करता रहे

Transliteration

kāmaṃ tathā tiṣṭha narendra tasmin yathā kṛtas te samayaḥ sabhāyām | dāśārhayodhais tu hatāriyodhaḥ pratīkṣatāṃ nāgapuraṃ bhavantam ||

Translation

Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai raja, bila engkau menghendaki, tetaplah teguh pada jalan itu, menepati ikrar yang kau ucapkan di balairung sidang. Atau, bila engkau memerintah, biarkan para kesatria Dāśārha (Yādava) menumpas seluruh prajurit musuhmu, sementara kota Nāgapura (Hastināpura) menanti kepulanganmu yang membawa berkah.”

Word by Word

• {'kāmam': 'as you wish

• if you desire', 'tathā': 'thus

• in that manner', 'tiṣṭha': 'stand firm

• remain', 'narendra': 'king

• lord of men', 'tasmin': 'in that (course/resolve)', 'yathā': 'as

• according to', 'kṛtaḥ': 'made

• done', 'te': 'your', 'samayaḥ': 'agreement

• pledged condition', 'sabhāyām': 'in the assembly hall', 'dāśārha': 'of the Dāśārhas

• an epithet of the Yādavas (Krishna’s clan)', 'yodhaiḥ': 'by warriors', 'tu': 'but

• moreover', 'hata': 'slain

• destroyed', 'ari-yodhaḥ': 'enemy fighters/warriors', 'pratīkṣatām': 'let it wait

• may it await', 'nāgapuram': 'Nāgapura

• the city of the Nāgas (used for Hastināpura)', 'bhavantam': 'you (honorific accusative)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Narendra (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
• Dāśārha/Yādava warriors
• Nāgapura (Hastināpura)
• the sabhā (assembly hall)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical tension between strict fidelity to a public vow (samaya made in the sabhā) and the availability of force to resolve injustice. It frames kingship as grounded in truthfulness and self-restraint, while acknowledging that righteous power exists but should be used only under rightful command and deliberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana reports counsel given to the king: he may continue to abide by the pledge made in the assembly (the exile-related agreement), or—if he orders—Yādava/Dāśārha warriors could destroy the enemy combatants, allowing Hastināpura (Nāgapura) to await his return. The moment underscores a choice between patient adherence to terms and immediate intervention.