Shloka 7

उद्योगपर्व — विदुरोक्तिः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra Addressed on Sincerity, Hospitality, and Settlement

Devanagari script

नित्यप्रभिन्नान्‌ मातज्रानीषादन्तान्‌ प्रहारिण: । अष्टानुचरमेकैकमष्टौ दास्यामि कौरव

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | nityaprabhinnān mātaṅgān īṣādantān prahāriṇaḥ | aṣṭānucaramekaikam aṣṭau dāsyāmi kaurava kurunandana ||

Translation

ドリタラーシュトラは言った。「クル族の喜びよ、カウラヴァよ！ これらに加えて、我はさらに八頭の猛き象を与えよう。こめかみより常に発情の液を滴らせ、牙は戦車の轅の柱のごとく見え、敵を打ち倒すことに巧みな象である。しかも、その八頭の象王それぞれに、八人ずつの従者を付けよう。」

Word by Word

• नित्य: always, constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• प्रभिन्नान्: in rut; with ichor flowing
• प्रभिन्नान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभिन्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मातङ्ग: elephants
• मातङ्ग: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अनीषादन्तान्: having tusks like a pole/shaft (īṣā-daṇḍa)
• अनीषादन्तान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनीषादन्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रहारिणः: striking; skilled at attacking
• प्रहारिणः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अष्ट: eight
• अष्ट: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अनुचरम्: attendant, follower
• अनुचरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुचर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एकैकम्: each one (individually)
• एकैकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकैक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दास्यामि: I will give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कौरव: O Kaurava
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kaurava (addressee)
• Kuru lineage
• war elephants (mātaṅga)
• chariot-pole (īṣā)
• attendants (anucara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how royal power is expressed through material gifts and military assets; ethically, it invites reflection on whether peace and justice can be secured by offerings of wealth and force, or whether deeper commitment to dharma is required.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra promises additional gifts—eight powerful rutting elephants, each supported by eight attendants—to the addressed Kaurava prince, emphasizing the scale of resources he is willing to provide in the ongoing political negotiation.