Shloka 57

Dharma-śaṅkā-nivāraṇa: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Response on Karma-Phala and Trust in Dharma

Devanagari script

उत्थानयुक्त: सततं परेषामन्तरैषणे । आनृण्यमाप्रोति नर: परस्यात्मन एव च,शत्रुओंके छिद्रका अन्वेषण करनेके लिये सदा प्रयत्नशील रहे। ऐसा करनेसे वह अपनी और दूसरे लोगोंकी दृष्टिमें भी निर्दोष होता है

Transliteration

utthānayuktaḥ satataṃ pareṣām antaraiṣaṇe | ānṛṇyam āpnoti naraḥ parasya ātman eva ca ||

Translation

ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಸದಾ ಉತ್ಸಾಹದಿಂದ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆಯಿಂದಿದ್ದು ಎದುರಾಳಿಗಳ ದುರ್ಬಲತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹುಡುಕಬೇಕು. ಇಂತಹ ನಿರಂತರ ಜಾಗ್ರತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನದಿಂದ ಅವನು ಕರ್ತವ್ಯವನ್ನು ನೆರವೇರಿಸಿ, ಇತರರ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ತನ್ನ ಅಂತರಾತ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ದೋಷರಹಿತನಾಗಿ ನಿಂದೆಯಿಂದ ಮುಕ್ತನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.

Word by Word

उत्थानयुक्तःendowed with effort/initiative

सततम्always, constantly

परेषाम्of others (of enemies/others)

अन्तरैषणेin the search for a flaw/weak point

आनृण्यम्freedom from debt/blame; blamelessness

आप्नोतिattains, obtains

नरःa man

परस्यof another (person)

आत्मनःof oneself

एवindeed, even

चand

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should be consistently diligent and strategically alert—especially in assessing an opponent’s weaknesses—so that one can say, before society and one’s own conscience, that one has fulfilled one’s duty without negligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vana Parva’s counsel-oriented discourse, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a principle of prudent conduct for a leader: sustained effort and watchfulness in dealing with adversaries, framed as a dharmic obligation rather than mere aggression.