Shloka 10

Śaṅkha–Likhita Upākhyāna: Daṇḍa, Confession, and the Purification of Kingship (शङ्ख-लिखितोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

आददानस्य विजयं विग्रहं च युधिष्ठिर । समानधर्मकुशला: स्थापयन्ति नरेश्वर,“राजा युधिष्ठिर! विषम भावसे रहित धर्ममें कुशल पुरुष विजय पानेकी इच्छावाले राजाके लिये संग्रामकी ही स्थापना करते हैं

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

ādādānasya vijayaṁ vigrahaṁ ca yudhiṣṭhira |

samānadharmakuśalāḥ sthāpayanti nareśvara ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「ユディシュティラよ、人々の主よ。勝利を確かなものとし、争いを引き受ける覚悟のある王のために、ダルマに通じ偏りなき者たちは、戦争そのものの道筋を定める——それを正当な成就へ至る統御された手段と見なし、激情や残虐の放縦とはしない。」

Word by Word

• आददानस्य: of (the king) desiring to take/obtain
• आददानस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + दा (धातु) → आददत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विजयम्: victory
• विजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विग्रहम्: conflict/war
• विग्रहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• समानधर्मकुशलाः: those skilled in equitable/consistent dharma
• समानधर्मकुशलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समानधर्मकुशल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्थापयन्ति: establish/ordain
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) (causative: स्थापय-)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

War, when undertaken by a king for victory, should be instituted and regulated by impartial experts in dharma—so that conflict serves a principled purpose and remains bounded by righteous norms rather than personal bias or rage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses Yudhiṣṭhira within the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship, explaining how dharma-versed counselors frame and authorize warfare for a ruler seeking victory, emphasizing impartiality and rule-governed conduct.