Shloka 21

Devanagari script

असंशयं सर्वसमृद्धकाम: क्षिप्रं प्रजा: पालयितासि सम्यक्‌ । इमे वयं निग्रहणे कुरूणां यदि प्रतिज्ञा भवत: समाप्ता,“धर्मराज! अब शीघ्र ही आपके सारे मनोरथ पूर्ण होंगे और आप राजसिंहासनपर आरूढ़ होकर न्यायपूर्वक प्रजाका पालन करेंगे, इसमें तनिक भी संशय नहीं है। यदि आपकी वनवासविषयक प्रतिज्ञा पूरी हो जाय, तो हम सब लोग आपके विरोधी कौरवोंको दण्ड देनेके लिये उद्यत हैं!

Transliteration

asaṁśayaṁ sarvasamṛddhakāmaḥ kṣipraṁ prajāḥ pālayitāsi samyak | ime vayaṁ nigrahaṇe kurūṇāṁ yadi pratijñā bhavataḥ samāptā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Without doubt, all your aims will be fully accomplished. Soon you will ascend the royal throne and govern the people rightly. If your vow concerning the forest-dwelling has reached its completion, then we are all ready to move to the punishment and restraint of the Kauravas who oppose you.”

Word by Word

असंशयम्undoubtedly

सर्वसमृद्धकामःone whose all desires are fulfilled

क्षिप्रम्quickly, soon

प्रजाःsubjects, people

पालयिताprotector, ruler (one who will protect)

असिyou are / you will be

सम्यक्properly, rightly

इमेthese

वयम्we

निग्रहणेin restraining / in punishing

कुरूणाम्of the Kurus (Kauravas)

यदिif

प्रतिज्ञाvow, promise

भवतःof you (honorific)

समाप्ताcompleted, fulfilled

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Kauravas (Kurūṇām)

prajāḥ (the subjects/people)

rājasiṁhāsana (royal throne, implied by context)

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 links rightful rule to dharma: a king’s legitimacy is shown by protecting subjects justly, and even punitive action against wrongdoers should be undertaken only after one’s own vows and obligations are fulfilled.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker expresses confidence that Dharmarāja will soon regain sovereignty and govern properly; once his forest-exile vow is completed, the group declares readiness to restrain and punish the opposing Kauravas.