Shloka 19

Devanagari script

गुरुप्रधानो धर्मेषु स्वयमर्थानवेक्षिता | धर्मप्रधानो लाभेषु स चिरं सुखमश्षुते,जो धर्मके विषयमें गुरुको प्रधान मानकर उनके उपदेशके अनुसार चलता है, जो स्वयं ही अर्थ-सम्बन्धी सारे कार्योंको देखता है तथा सब प्रकारके लाभोंमें धर्मको ही प्रधान लाभ समझता है, वह चिरकालतक सुखका उपभोग करता है

Transliteration

gurupradhāno dharmeṣu svayam arthānavekṣitā | dharmapradhāno lābheṣu sa ciraṁ sukham aśnute ||

Translation

ヴァーマデーヴァは言った。「法（ダルマ）において師を第一とし、グルの教えに従って生きる者。財と実務の諸事を自ら監督する者。あらゆる利得のうち、法こそ最高の利得と見る者——その人は久しく、揺るがぬ幸福を享受する。」

Word by Word

गुरु-प्रधानःone for whom the teacher is foremost

धर्मेषुin matters of dharma

स्वयम्oneself

अर्थान्wealth-related matters / aims

अवेक्षिताan overseer / one who looks after

धर्म-प्रधानःone for whom dharma is foremost

लाभेषुin gains / among profits

सःhe

चिरम्for a long time

सुखम्happiness

अश्नुतेenjoys / attains

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāmadeva

guru

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Make dharma the primary standard: follow the guru’s guidance in moral matters, manage worldly affairs responsibly without negligence, and treat dharma itself as the greatest profit; this orientation leads to enduring happiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, the sage Vāmadeva states a principle of conduct: prioritize the guru in dharma, personally attend to artha-related duties, and place dharma above all gains, describing the long-term result as sustained happiness.