Shloka 8

Adhyāya 160: Dikpāla-Cosmography and the Sun’s Kālacakra (दिक्पाल-विश्ववर्णनम् तथा आदित्यस्य कालचक्रम्)

Devanagari script

सुकृतं प्रतिकर्तु च कच्चिद्धातुं च दुष्कृतम्‌ । यथान्यायं कुरुश्रेष्ठ जानासि न विकत्थसे,“कुरुश्रेष्ठ! क्या तुम अपने उपकारीको उसके उपकारका यथोचित बदला देना जानते हो? क्‍या तुम्हें अपना अपकार करनेवाले मनुष्यकी उपेक्षा कर देनेकी कला का ज्ञान है? तुम अपनी बड़ाई तो नहीं करते?

Transliteration

sukṛtaṁ pratikartuṁ ca kaccid dhātuṁ ca duṣkṛtam | yathānyāyaṁ kuruśreṣṭha jānāsi na vikatthase ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O best of the Kurus, do you know how to repay a good deed with a fitting return, and how to set aside (or disregard) the harm done by the wicked? Do you understand what is just and proper in such matters—and do you refrain from self-praise?”

Word by Word

• {'sukṛtam': 'a good deed

• kindness received', 'pratikartum': 'to repay

• to requite', 'kaccit': 'whether indeed? (interrogative particle implying concern)', 'dhātum': 'to place

• to bear/accept (context-dependent)', 'duṣkṛtam': 'a bad deed

• harm done', 'yathā-nyāyam': 'according to justice

• in due measure', 'kuruśreṣṭha': 'O best among the Kurus (honorific address)', 'jānāsi': 'you know

• you understand', 'na': 'not', 'vikatthase': 'you boast

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kuruśreṣṭha (best of the Kurus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical maturity: repay kindness appropriately, respond to wrongdoing with restraint (not vindictive obsession), act according to justice, and avoid boasting about one’s virtues.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a Kuru noble, testing or emphasizing the qualities expected of an ideal ruler or hero—gratitude toward benefactors, measured response to harm, commitment to justice, and humility.