Shloka 2

Devanagari script

धृतिमन्तश्न दक्षाश्न स्वे स्वे कर्मणि भारत । पराक्रमविधानज्ञा नरा कृतयुगे5डभवन्‌,भारत! सत्ययुगमें सब मनुष्य धैर्यवान, अपने-अपने कार्यमें कुशल तथा पराक्रमविधिके ज्ञाता थे

Transliteration

dhṛtimantaś ca dakṣāś ca sve sve karmaṇi bhārata | parākramavidhānajñā narāḥ kṛtayuge 'bhavan bhārata ||

Translation

Dhanada said: “O Bhārata, in the Kṛta (Satya) Yuga, people were steadfast and self-controlled, skilled in their respective duties, and knowledgeable of the proper methods of exertion and valor. In that age, human conduct naturally aligned with right order—competence and courage were guided by understanding rather than impulse.”

Word by Word

धृतिमन्तःsteadfast, possessing fortitude

दक्षाःskilled, competent

स्वेin one's own

स्वेin one's own (respective)

कर्मणिin (their) work/duty

भारतO Bharata

पराक्रमविधानज्ञाःknowing the rules/methods of valor

नराःmen, people

कृतयुगेin the Kṛta Yuga (Satya Yuga)

अभवन्were, became

भारतO Bharata

Speaker

धनद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhanada (Kubera)

Bhārata (addressed person; descendant of Bharata)

Kṛta Yuga (Satya Yuga)

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?

The verse presents the ethical ideal of the Kṛta Yuga: people naturally combine fortitude (dhṛti), competence (dakṣatā), and disciplined valor (parākramavidhāna-jñāna). Strength and skill are portrayed as morally guided—used according to proper method and duty rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhanada (Kubera) describes the character of humanity in the Kṛta/Satya Yuga to a Bharata prince, contrasting an earlier age of innate righteousness and well-ordered conduct with later ages where such qualities decline.