Shloka 22

Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)

Devanagari script

धर्मार्थो धर्मकामौ च कामार्थो चाप्पपीडयन्‌ । धर्मार्थकामान्‌ यो<भ्येति सो>त्यन्तं सुखमश्ुते

Transliteration

dharmārtho dharmakāmau ca kāmārtho cāpy apīḍayan | dharmārthakāmān yo 'bhyeti so 'tyantaṃ sukham aśnute ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: When the aims of life—dharma with artha, dharma with kāma, and kāma with artha—do not oppress one another, and a person harmonizes dharma, artha, and kāma together, that person attains the highest happiness.

Word by Word

• धर्मार्थः: dharma-and-artha (righteousness and wealth)
• धर्मार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मकामौ: dharma-and-kāma (righteousness and desire/pleasure)
• धर्मकामौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मकाम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कामार्थः: kāma-and-artha (pleasure and wealth)
• कामार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पीडयन्: afflicting/oppressing
• पीडयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मार्थकामान्: dharma, artha, and kāma (the three aims)
• धर्मार्थकामान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मार्थकाम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्येति: approaches/attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-इ
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अत्यन्तम्: utterly/entirely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अश्नुते: enjoys/obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that true well-being comes from integrating dharma (ethical duty), artha (material welfare), and kāma (legitimate desire) so that none undermines the others; harmony among these aims yields the highest happiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya, narrating events and reflections from the war context to Dhritarashtra, states a general ethical principle: the balanced pursuit of dharma, artha, and kāma—without mutual conflict—leads to lasting happiness.