Shloka 18

Droṇa–Drupada Saṃvāda and Droṇa’s Reception at the Kuru Court (द्रोण-द्रुपद-संवादः; कुरुनगरप्रवेशः)

Devanagari script

अधर्मेण न नो धर्म: संयुज्यति कथंचन । लोकक्षायं वरारोहे धर्मोडयमिति मन्यते

Transliteration

adharmeṇa na no dharmaḥ saṁyujyati kathaṁcana | lokakṣāyaṁ varārohe dharmo ’yam iti manyate |

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ— “ଅଧର୍ମରେ ଆମ ଧର୍ମ କେବେ ବି କୌଣସି ପ୍ରକାରେ ଅଧର୍ମ ସହ ଯୁକ୍ତ ହୁଏ ନାହିଁ। ହେ ସୁକଟି! ଲୋକମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଏହାକୁ ସାକ୍ଷାତ୍ ଧର୍ମ ବୋଲି ମାନନ୍ତି—ଯାହା ଲୋକକ୍ଷୟରୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରେ। ଧର୍ମରୁ ଜନ୍ମିତ ପୁତ୍ର କୁରୁମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସର୍ବାଧିକ ଧର୍ମାତ୍ମା ହେବ; ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ। ଧର୍ମ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଦତ୍ତ ପୁତ୍ରର ମନ ଅଧର୍ମରେ ରମିବ ନାହିଁ। ତେଣୁ, ହେ ଶୁଚିସ୍ମିତେ! ମନ ଓ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟକୁ ସଂଯମ କରି, ଧର୍ମକୁ ଅଗ୍ରେ ରଖି, ଯଥୋଚିତ ପୂଜା ଓ ବିଧିବଦ୍ଧ କ୍ରିୟାପ୍ରକ୍ରିୟା ଦ୍ୱାରା ଧର୍ମଦେବତାଙ୍କୁ ଆହ୍ୱାନ କର।”

Word by Word

• अधर्मेण: by/through adharma (unrighteous means)
• अधर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संयुज्यति: joins/is united
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + युज्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• कथंचन: in any way, at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् + चन

• लोकक्षायम्: the destruction of the world/people
• लोकक्षायम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकक्षाय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वरारोहे: O fair-hipped one (lady of noble form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरारोहा
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मः: Dharma / righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उदयम्: rise, manifestation
• उदयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• मन्यते: thinks/considers
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dharma (deity/personified Dharma)
• Kuru lineage (Kuravaḥ, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma must not be pursued through unrighteous means; true dharma safeguards society (lokakṣāya). Ethical ends require ethical means, supported by self-restraint and proper ritual discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the context of seeking a righteous heir, the speaker emphasizes that their course is not adharma: the world recognizes it as dharma that protects social order, and urges the woman addressed to practice restraint and ritually invoke the deity Dharma to obtain a virtuous son.