Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

धृत्या च पुरुषव्याप्रो नैभृत्येन च पाण्डव: । अनृशंसो वदान्यश्व हीमान्‌ सत्यपराक्रम:

Transliteration

dhṛtyā ca puruṣavyāpro naibhṛtyena ca pāṇḍavaḥ | anṛśaṃso vadānyaś ca hīmān satyaparākramaḥ ||

Translation

ആ പാണ്ഡവൻ ധൃതിയാൽ പുരുഷസിംഹംപോലെ ഉത്സാഹവാനാണ്; സേവാനിഷ്ഠയാൽ ശാസനബദ്ധനുമാണ്. അവൻ അനൃശംസൻ (കരുണാശീലൻ), ദാനശീലൻ; ഹ്രീമാൻ/സംയമി, അവന്റെ പരാക്രമം സത്യത്തിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതം.

Word by Word

धृत्याby steadfastness

चand

पुरुषव्याप्रःactive/engaged in manly effort

नैभृत्येनby humility/modesty (lit. by nai-bhṛtya)

चand

पाण्डवःthe Pandava

अनृशंसःcompassionate, not cruel

वदान्यःgenerous

अश्वहीमान्possessing excellent horses / rich in horses

सत्यपराक्रमःof true valor / whose prowess is true

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Pāṇḍava

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 presents an ethical portrait of ideal leadership: true strength is not mere force but disciplined energy guided by compassion, generosity, self-restraint, and truth. Valor becomes dharmic when it is anchored in satya and tempered by non-cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Dhṛtarāṣṭra reflects on the qualities of a Pāṇḍava prince, acknowledging his moral and martial excellence—steadfast resolve, disciplined conduct, humane disposition, and truth-based heroism—qualities that heighten the gravity of opposing him.