Shloka 6

कृपवाक्यं तथा नीत्युपदेशः

Kṛpa’s Counsel and a Discourse on Statecraft

Devanagari script

वृद्धानुशासने युक्ता: सत्यव्रतपरायणा: । समयं समयज्ञास्ते पालयन्त: शुचिव्रता:,वास्तवमें पाण्डव समस्त शुभ लक्षणोंसे सम्पन्न, साधु-पुरुषोचित नियमों एवं व्रतके पालनमें तत्पर, वेदोक्त व्रतके पालक, नाना प्रकारकी श्रुतियोंके ज्ञाता, बड़े-बूढ़ोंके उपदेश और आदेशके पालनमें संलग्न, सत्यव्रतपरायण तथा शुद्ध व्रत धारण करनेवाले हैं। वे अज्ञातवासके नियत समयको जानते हैं, इसीलिये उसका पालन कर रहे हैं

Transliteration

vṛddhānuśāsane yuktāḥ satyavrataparāyaṇāḥ | samayaṃ samayajñās te pālayantaḥ śucivratāḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。彼らは長老の教えに従い、真実の誓いに堅く、清浄の行に規律正しかった。定められた時をわきまえ、それを忠実に守る者たちであった。潜伏流離の期限が固定であることを知るがゆえに、自制と廉直をもって、なおそれを守り続けた。

Word by Word

वृद्धानुशासनेin the instruction/discipline of elders

युक्ताःengaged, devoted

सत्यव्रतपरायणाःintent on the vow of truth

समयम्the time, the appointed period

समयज्ञाःknowing the proper time

तेthey

पालयन्तःmaintaining, observing

शुचिव्रताःhaving pure vows

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavāḥ (implied)

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?

The verse highlights dharmic character: purity of conduct, truth-based vows, and disciplined obedience to elders’ guidance. Ethical strength is shown not by display but by steady observance of commitments—especially keeping a difficult, time-bound vow without deviation.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes the Pāṇḍavas’ qualities during the Virāṭa Parva context: they know the fixed duration of their incognito exile and therefore continue to observe it carefully, maintaining pure conduct and truthfulness while adhering to disciplined restraints.