Mahabharata 3.37.8 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 37, Shloka 8

Vyāsa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira: Pratismṛti-vidyā, Arjuna’s Aśtra-Quest, and the Move to Kāmyaka

Devanagari script

शक्ति न हापयिष्यन्ति ते काले प्रतिपूजिता: । अद्य चेयं मही कृत्स्ना दुर्योधनवशानुगा

Transliteration

śaktiṁ na hāpayiṣyanti te kāle pratipūjitāḥ | adya ceyaṁ mahī kṛtsnā duryodhanavaśānugā |

Translation

ユディシュティラは言った。「折にかなって彼に礼遇された者たちは、決して彼の勢力が衰えるのを許さぬだろう。そして今日、この全土はドゥルヨーダナの支配下に入っている。」

Word by Word

• शक्तिम्: power, strength
• शक्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हापयिष्यन्ति: will cause to lose / will diminish
• Type: Verb
• Root: हापय् (हापयति) < हा
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• काले: in time / at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रतिपूजिताः: honoured, duly revered
• प्रतिपूजिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिपूजित (ppp of प्रति-पूज्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

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

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मही: earth
• मही: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कृत्स्ना: entire, whole
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्योधन-वश-अनुगा: following the control of Duryodhana / under Duryodhana's sway
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्योधन + वश + अनुग (अनुगा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Duryodhana
• mahī (the earth/kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Yudhiṣṭhira highlights a political-ethical principle: timely honour and patronage create durable loyalty, so those who have been properly respected will protect a leader’s power and prevent its decline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the present political reality: Duryodhana’s influence is widespread because he has cultivated supporters through appropriate honours, and thus the kingdom appears firmly under his sway.