Shloka 8

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

अप्रमादस्त्वया कार्य: सर्वथा कुरुनन्दन | अष्टाड़े राजशार्दूल राज्ये धर्मपुरस्कृते,“कुरुनन्दन! राजसिंह! इस आठ अंगोंवाले राज्यमें तुम सदा धर्मको ही आगे रखना और इसके संरक्षण और संचालनमें कभी किसी तरह भी प्रमाद न करना

Transliteration

apramādastvayā kāryaḥ sarvathā kurunandana | aṣṭāṅge rājasārddūla rājye dharmapuraskṛte ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「おお、クル族の喜びよ、汝はあらゆる面で怠りなく警戒せねばならぬ。おお、王たちの中の虎よ。ダルマを最前に掲げる、この八支より成る王国において、常に正しさを先頭に置き、その護持と統治に少しも不注意であってはならぬ。」

Word by Word

अप्रमादःnon-negligence, vigilance

त्वयाby you

कार्यःto be done, should be done

सर्वथाin every way, always

कुरुनन्दनO delight of the Kurus

अष्टाङ्गेin the eight-limbed (state/kingdom)

राजशार्दूलO tiger among kings

राज्येin the kingdom/state

धर्मपुरस्कृतेwith dharma placed foremost

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kurunandana

Rājasārddūla

Rājya (kingdom)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must practice constant apramāda (vigilant, non-negligent attention) and keep dharma as the foremost principle in administering and safeguarding the kingdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a Kuru ruler is being admonished with royal epithets to govern an ‘eight-part’ polity responsibly—prioritizing dharma and avoiding any lapse in protection and administration.