Shloka 213

Devanagari script

आपृच्छति च यच्छेय: करोति च हित॑ वच: । यह भलीभाँति चेष्टा उसीकी मानी जाती है जो बड़े-बूढ़ोंकी सेवा करता है, उनसे अपने कल्याणकी बात पूछता है और उनके बताये हुए हितकारक वचनोंका पालन करता है

Transliteration

āpṛcchati ca yac chreyaḥ karoti ca hitaṃ vacaḥ | yaḥ bhalībhāṃti ceṣṭā usīkī mānī jātī hai jo baṛe-būṛhoṃkī sevā kartā hai, unse apne kalyāṇkī bāt pūchtā hai aur unke batāye hue hitkārak vacanoṃkā pālan kartā hai

Translation

Kṛpa said: “Esteemed is the conduct of that person who serves elders, asks them what leads to true welfare, and then acts in accordance with their beneficial counsel.”

Word by Word

आपृच्छतिasks (inquires)

चand

यत्that which

श्रेयःthe good; welfare; what is beneficial

करोतिdoes; performs

चand

हितम्beneficial; wholesome

वचःspeech; word; counsel

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kṛpa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True esteem and right conduct belong to one who honors and serves elders, seeks guidance about śreyaḥ (the highest good), and then actually follows the beneficial advice given—linking humility, inquiry, and obedience to ethical living.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Sauptika Parva, Kṛpa speaks in a counsel-giving mode, emphasizing proper behavior after catastrophic events: rather than acting on impulse, one should rely on elder guidance and uphold what is beneficial and dharmic.