Shloka 13

कौसल्याविलापः

Kausalya’s Lament and Ethical Analogies on Kingship

Devanagari script

तत्र ये गुणवन्तश्च विद्वांसश्च द्विजातयः।न पश्चात्तेऽभिमन्यन्ते सुधामपि सुरोपमाः।।2.61.13।।

Transliteration

tatra ye guṇavantaś ca vidvāṃsaś ca dvijātayaḥ |

na paścāt te 'bhimanyante sudhām api suropamāḥ ||

Translation

അവിടെ ഗുണവാന്മാരും വിദ്യാവാന്മാരുമായ ദ്വിജാതികൾ, ദേവസമാന മഹിമയുള്ളവരായാലും, മറ്റുള്ളവർക്കു ശേഷം നൽകുന്നതിനെ—അത് അമൃതമായാലും—സ്വീകരിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशार्थक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• गुणवन्तः: virtuous
• गुणवन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् for ये/द्विजातयः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• विद्वांसः: learned
• विद्वांसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (learned)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• द्विजातयः: twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजातयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालार्थक-अव्यय (afterwards)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; (द्विजातयः)

• अभिमन्यन्ते: accept/approve
• अभिमन्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; अर्थः—स्वीकुर्वन्ति/मन्यन्ते (accept/consider)

• सुधाम्: ambrosia
• सुधाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• सुरोपमाः: godlike
• सुरोपमाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सुरैः उपमाः (like gods)

Context

The god-like brahmins who are virtuous and learned will not accept the food after others have partaken even if it is ambrosia.

Characters & Entities

• dvijāti (brāhmaṇas)
• sura (gods)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma upholds honor and rightful precedence: the worthy do not accept being treated as ‘afterthoughts,’ even if the material offering is excellent.

What is the narrative situation?

Continuing the śrāddha analogy, Kauśalyā argues that what is rightfully first (by merit) cannot be ethically placed second.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity (ātma-garima): the learned refuse compromised honor, illustrating principled conduct over gain.