Shloka 8

Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 52: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Strength and the Case for Restraint

Devanagari script

दर्शनीयो मनस्वी च लक्ष्मीवान्‌ ब्रह्म॒वर्चसी । मेधावी सुकृतप्रज्ञो धर्मात्मा पाण्डुनन्दन:

Transliteration

darśanīyo manasvī ca lakṣmīvān brahmavarcāsī | medhāvī sukṛtaprajño dharmātmā pāṇḍunandanaḥ ||

Translation

ທ້າວ ທຣິຕຣາສະຕຣະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ບຸດແຫ່ງ ປານດຸ ຜູ້ນັ້ນ ງາມນ່າເບິ່ງ ແລະ ມີໃຈສູງ; ມີສິຣິມົງຄຸນ ແລະ ມີລັດສະໝີແຫ່ງວິຊາອັນສັກສິດ. ລາວສະຫຼາດ ມີປັນຍາອັນດີທີ່ເກີດຈາກກຸສົນ ແລະ ຍຶດໝັ້ນໃນທຳມະ».

Word by Word

दर्शनीयःworthy to be seen, handsome

मनस्वीhigh-minded, spirited

चand

लक्ष्मीवान्fortunate, endowed with prosperity

ब्रह्मवर्चसीpossessing brahmanical radiance/holy splendor

मेधावीintelligent

सुकृतप्रज्ञःof well-formed/good understanding; wise through good deeds

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled, devoted to dharma

पाण्डुनन्दनःson of Pandu (Pandava)

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Pāṇḍu

Pāṇḍunandana (a son of Pāṇḍu; a Pāṇḍava)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links outward excellence (admirable presence and prosperity) with inner excellence (wisdom, merit-formed discernment, and devotion to dharma), implying that true worth in a prince is measured by righteous character and cultivated intellect, not merely power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes a Pāṇḍava as exemplary—handsome, fortunate, spiritually radiant, intelligent, and dharma-minded—highlighting the recognized virtues of the opposing side even amid rising conflict.