Shloka 24

स्त्रीपर्व १: धृतराष्ट्रशोकः संजयाश्वासनं च

Strī Parva 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Saṃjaya’s Consolation

Devanagari script

यथा यौवनजं दर्पमास्थिते त॑ं सुते नूप

Transliteration

yathā yauvanajaṃ darpam āsthite taṃ sute nūpa

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Just as youthful pride takes hold of a son—O king—so too did that arrogance settle in him,” indicating how immaturity and self-conceit can cloud judgment and lead one away from restraint and right conduct.

Word by Word

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• यौवनजम्: born of youth, youthful
• यौवनजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौवनज
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दर्पम्: pride, arrogance
• दर्पम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्प
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थिते: they two have assumed/taken up
• आस्थिते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: Perfect, Third, Dual

• तम्: that, him/it
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सुते: in/with the son
• सुते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• उप: near, towards; (as preverb) up-
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप

Speaker

वैशमग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• nṛpa (king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how pride arising from youth can seize a person and distort judgment; ethically, it warns rulers and listeners to recognize arrogance as a cause of downfall and to cultivate restraint and humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana continues his account to the king, characterizing someone’s state of mind by comparing it to the way youthful arrogance can take hold of a son—setting a moral-psychological frame for the events being narrated in the aftermath of the war.