Shloka 12

देवतापितृप्रश्नः — Nārada at Badarīāśrama: the ultimate referent of daiva and pitṛ worship

Devanagari script

ये तु तुष्टा: श्रुतिपरा महात्मानो महाबला: । धर्म्य पन्थानमारूढास्तानुपास्स्व च पृच्छ च,इसलिये जो महान्‌ धर्मबलसे सम्पन्न महात्मा पुरुष संतुष्ट और श्रुतिपरायण होकर सर्वदा धर्मपथपर ही आरूढ़ रहते हैं, तुम उन्हींकी सेवामें रहो और उन्हींसे अपना कर्तव्य पूछो

Transliteration

ye tu tuṣṭāḥ śrutiparā mahātmāno mahābalāḥ | dharmyaṃ panthānam ārūḍhās tān upāssva ca pṛccha ca ||

Translation

ಆದರೆ ತೃಪ್ತರಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಶ್ರುತಿಪರಾಯಣರಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಮಹಾತ್ಮರೂ ಮಹಾಬಲರೂ ಆಗಿ ಸದಾ ಧರ್ಮಮಾರ್ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿರರಾಗಿರುವವರನ್ನು ಸೇವಿಸು; ನಿನ್ನ ಕರ್ತವ್ಯವನ್ನು ಅವರನ್ನೇ ಕೇಳು.

Word by Word

येwho (those who)

तुbut/indeed

तुष्टाःcontent/satisfied

श्रुतिपराःdevoted to the Veda/tradition

महात्मानःgreat-souled men

महाबलाःvery strong/mighty

धर्म्येin the righteous (path)

पन्थानम्path

आरूढाःhaving mounted/ascended; established (on)

तान्them

उपास्स्वserve/worship (you should attend upon)

चand

पृच्छask/inquire

चand

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

mahātmānaḥ (righteous sages/elders devoted to Śruti)

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?

Seek guidance on dharma from those who are inwardly content, grounded in Śruti, and steady in righteous conduct; approach them with service and sincere inquiry rather than relying on impulse or self-justification.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa directs the listener toward reliable moral authorities—saintly, scripturally rooted elders—urging a disciple-like approach: remain near them in respectful service and ask them to clarify one’s true duty.