Shloka 23

Indrajit’s Binding, Restoration by Viśalyā, and Counsel Restraining Rāvaṇa (Āraṇyaka Parva 273)

Devanagari script

सम्प्रेक्ष्य भरतश्रेष्ठ: कृपां चक्रे नराधिप: । धर्मे ते वर्धतां बुद्धिर्मा चाधर्मे मन: कृथा:

Transliteration

samprekṣya bharataśreṣṭhaḥ kṛpāṃ cakre narādhipaḥ | dharme te vardhatāṃ buddhir mā cādharme manaḥ kṛthāḥ ||

Translation

Beholding the situation, the best of the Bharatas—the king—was moved to compassion. He said, “May your understanding grow in dharma; do not set your mind upon adharma.”

Word by Word

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having looked at / after observing
• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्रेक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• भरतश्रेष्ठः: the best of the Bharatas
• भरतश्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृपाम्: compassion
• कृपाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• चक्रे: did / showed / exercised
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• नराधिपः: the king (lord of men)
• नराधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-अधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मे: in dharma / in righteousness
• धर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• ते: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• वर्धताम्: may it grow / let it increase
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध्
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• बुद्धिः: understanding / resolve
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा
• Form: prohibitive particle

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: conjunction

• अधर्मे: in adharma / in unrighteousness
• अधर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कृथाः: you should make / place
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmasena (speaker)
• bharataśreṣṭhaḥ (a foremost Bharata/Kuru figure)
• narādhipaḥ (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cultivate discernment rooted in dharma and refuse to orient the mind toward adharma; compassion and moral clarity are presented as marks of rightful leadership and conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma reports that, after observing the circumstances, a leading Bharata king is moved by compassion and offers admonition: the listener should strengthen their commitment to dharma and avoid unrighteous intent.