Shloka 13

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 113 — Maryādā-sthāpana (Śvetaketu’s Boundary) and the Niyoga Deliberation of Pāṇḍu and Kuntī

Devanagari script

नात्र कश्नन दोषो<स्ति पूर्वधिरयं कृत: । विदितेय च ते शल्य मर्यादा साधुसम्मता,“यदि तुम्हारे पूर्वजोंने इस विधिको स्वीकार कर लिया है तो इसमें कोई दोष नहीं है। शल्य! साधु पुरुषोंद्वारा सम्मानित तुम्हारी यह कुलमर्यादा हम सबको विदित है”

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: nātra kaścan doṣo 'sti pūrvair dhir ayaṃ kṛtaḥ | viditā ca te śalya maryādā sādhusammatā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “There is no fault in this matter, for this practice was established by your forefathers. And, O Śalya, this boundary of conduct—your family’s accepted custom, honored by the virtuous—is well known to us all.”

Word by Word

नnot

अत्रhere/in this matter

कश्चनany (one)

दोषःfault

अस्तिis/exists

पूर्वैःby the former/ancestors

धिःordinance/settled rule (accepted practice)

अयम्this

कृतःdone/established

विदिताknown

इयम्this (f.)

चand

तेof you/your

शल्यO Śalya

मर्यादाboundary/established custom (family code)

साधु-सम्मताapproved by the good/virtuous

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śalya

forefathers (pūrvāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A practice is not deemed blameworthy when it is an established, socially recognized family custom (maryādā) sanctioned by virtuous people; tradition and communal ethical approval are invoked as grounds for legitimacy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reassures Śalya that the discussed rule or practice carries no moral defect because it was instituted by Śalya’s ancestors and is a well-known, respected family norm acknowledged by righteous people.