Shloka 14

Devanagari script

क्रमेण युगपत्‌ सर्व व्यवसायं महाबल: । पीडनं स्तम्भनं चैव कोशभड्स्तथैव च,राजेन्द्र! प्रजाजनोंके भीतर जो दीन-दरिद्र (अन्ध-बधिर आदि) मनुष्य हों, उनका भी राजा आदर करे। महाबली राजा अपने शत्रुके विपरीत क्रमश: अथवा एक साथ सारा उद्योग आरम्भ कर दे। वह उसे पीड़ा दे। उसकी गति अवरुद्ध करे और उसका खजाना नष्ट कर दे

Transliteration

krameṇa yugapat sarva-vyavasāyaṃ mahābalaḥ | pīḍanaṃ stambhanaṃ caiva kośabhraṃśas tathaiva ca || rājendra |

Translation

धृतराष्ट्र म्हणाले—राजेंद्र! महाबली राजा शत्रूविरुद्ध आपला सर्व उद्योग क्रमाने किंवा एकदम सुरू करावा. त्याला पीडा द्यावी, त्याची गती रोखावी आणि त्याचा कोशही नष्ट करावा.

Word by Word

• {'krameṇa': 'in sequence, gradually', 'yugapat': 'simultaneously, all at once', 'sarva-vyavasāyam': 'the whole enterprise/strategy

• total effort and measures', 'mahābalaḥ': 'one of great strength

• a powerful (king)', 'pīḍanam': 'pressing, harassing, inflicting pressure/pain', 'stambhanam': 'stopping, immobilizing, obstructing movement', 'kośa': 'treasury, royal finances', 'bhraṃśaḥ': 'fall, ruin, destruction', 'rājendra': 'O king of kings

Speaker

धघतयाट्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• rājā (king)
• śatru (enemy)
• kośa (treasury)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a rāja-dharma principle of statecraft: when confronting an enemy, a king should apply comprehensive measures—gradually or simultaneously—by pressuring the opponent, restricting his mobility, and undermining his financial base, since resources and freedom of action sustain hostile power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Āśramavāsika Parva, Dhṛtarāṣṭra is speaking and articulating practical counsel on kingship and dealing with adversaries, emphasizing coordinated political and strategic action rather than isolated or hesitant measures.