Shloka 20

Devanagari script

उपर्युपरि लोकस्य सर्वो गन्तुं समीहते । यतते च यथाशक्ति न च तद्‌ वर्तते तथा,सब लोग सारे जगत्‌के ऊपर-ऊपर जानेकी इच्छा रखते हैं--सभी सबसे ऊँचा होना चाहते हैं और उसके लिये वे यथाशक्ति प्रयत्न भी करते हैं परंतु (सभी जगह) वैसा होता नहीं है

Transliteration

uparyupari lokasya sarvo gantuṃ samīhate | yatate ca yathāśakti na ca tad vartate tathā ||

Translation

The hunter said: “Everyone strives to rise above the world—to be higher than all. Each exerts himself as far as his strength allows; yet the outcome does not always turn out that way.”

Word by Word

उपरिabove, on top

उपरिagain above (repeated for emphasis: higher and higher)

लोकस्यof the world/people

सर्वःeveryone (each person)

गन्तुम्to go (to reach)

समीहतेdesires/strives

यततेmakes effort, strives

चand

यथाas, according to

शक्तिpower/ability (to the extent of one's ability)

नnot

चand/but

तत्that (desired result/state)

वर्ततेhappens/occurs, comes to be

तथाso, in that way

Speaker

व्याध उवाच

Characters & Entities

vyādha (the hunter)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Human beings commonly seek superiority and strive hard, but results are not fully controllable; ethical maturity includes recognizing the limits of personal effort and cultivating humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

The hunter (vyādha), instructing his listener in practical dharma, comments on the universal drive to rise above others and notes that despite sincere effort, success does not always follow as intended.