Shloka 2

धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas

Devanagari script

कौरव्य पर्युपासीथा: स्थित्वा द्वैविध्यमात्मन: । तुष्टपुष्टबल: शत्रुरात्मवानिति च स्मरेत्‌,कुरुनन्दन! अपनी द्विविध अवस्था--बलाबलका अच्छी तरह विचार करके शत्रुसे युद्ध या मेल करना उचित है। यदि शत्रु मनस्वी है और उसके सैनिक हृष्ट-पुष्ट एवं संतुष्ट हैं तो उसपर सहसा धावा न करके उसे परास्त करनेका कोई दूसरा उपाय सोचे

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | kauravya paryupāsīthāḥ sthitvā dvaividhyam ātmanaḥ | tuṣṭa-puṣṭa-balaḥ śatrur ātmavān iti ca smaret kurunandana ||

Translation

ധൃതരാഷ്ട്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു—കൗരവ്യാ, കുരുനന്ദനാ! സ്വന്തം ബലവും അബലവും എന്ന ഇരട്ട നില നന്നായി ആലോചിച്ച് മാത്രമേ ശത്രുവിനോട് യുദ്ധമോ സന്ധിയോ തീരുമാനിക്കാവൂ. ഓർക്കുക—ശത്രു ദൃഢചിത്തനും അവന്റെ സൈന്യം തൃപ്തവും പുഷ്ടവും ബലവുമുള്ളതായാൽ, പെട്ടെന്ന് ആക്രമിക്കാതെ അവനെ കീഴടക്കാനുള്ള മറ്റൊരു മാർഗം ആലോചിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'kauravya', 'definition': 'O descendant of Kuru

• a form of address to a Kuru prince'}, {'term': 'paryupāsīthāḥ', 'definition': 'you should attend upon/consider carefully

• you should deliberate'}, {'term': 'sthitvā', 'definition': 'having stood

• having taken a firm position'}, {'term': 'dvaividhyam', 'definition': 'twofold state

• dual condition'}, {'term': 'ātmanaḥ', 'definition': 'of oneself

• of one’s own side (one’s own condition/resources)'}, {'term': 'tuṣṭa', 'definition': 'content, satisfied'}, {'term': 'puṣṭa', 'definition': 'well-nourished, thriving'}, {'term': 'bala', 'definition': 'strength

• also ‘troops/forces’ in context'}, {'term': 'śatruḥ', 'definition': 'enemy'}, {'term': 'ātmavān', 'definition': 'self-possessed, resolute, spirited'}, {'term': 'smaret', 'definition': 'one should remember/keep in mind'}, {'term': 'kurunandana', 'definition': 'O delight of the Kurus

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kuru lineage (Kauravya/Kurunandana)
• Enemy (śatru)
• Troops/forces (bala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before choosing war or reconciliation, a ruler should assess his own strengths and weaknesses and realistically evaluate the enemy’s morale and preparedness; if the opponent is resolute and well-supported, avoid impulsive attack and seek a more effective strategy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses a Kuru prince, offering counsel on statecraft: deliberate carefully, weigh one’s own condition, and do not launch a rash assault against an enemy whose forces are strong, well-fed, and satisfied.