Shloka 123

धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति व्यवहार-रक्षा-नियमनोपदेशः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Instruction on Administration, Punishment, and Daily Governance

Devanagari script

परैर्विनिहतामात्यो वनं गन्तुमभीप्सति । “एक दिन जो सम्पूर्ण भूमण्डलका भरण-पोषण करनेवाले नरेश थे, उनके सारे मन्त्री और सहायक शत्रुओंद्वारा मार डाले गये और आज वे वनमें जाना चाहते हैं

Transliteration

parair vinihatāmātyo vanaṃ gantum abhīpsati |

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ— “ଶତ୍ରୁମାନେ ଯାହାଙ୍କ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଓ ସହାୟକମାନଙ୍କୁ ନିହତ କରିଛନ୍ତି, ସେ ଏବେ ବନକୁ ଯିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରୁଛନ୍ତି। ଯିଏ ଏକଦିନ ସମଗ୍ର ପୃଥିବୀର ପାଳନକର୍ତ୍ତା ରାଜା ଥିଲେ, ସେ ଆଜି ପରାମର୍ଶଦାତା ଓ ଆଧାର ହରାଇ, ଯୁଦ୍ଧର ବିପର୍ୟୟ ଦେଖି ତପୋବନର ଶରଣ ଖୋଜୁଛନ୍ତି।”

Word by Word

• परैः: by enemies/others
• परैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विनिहत: slain/destroyed
• विनिहत: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु) → विनिहत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अमात्यः: minister/counsellor
• अमात्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गन्तुम्: to go
• गन्तुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गन्तुम् (तुमुन्-अन्त, अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: Infinitive

• अभीप्सति: desires/wishes
• अभीप्सति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्/ईप्स् (धातु) (अभि-उपसर्ग) → अभीप्सति
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the king (unnamed in this pāda)
• enemies (parāḥ)
• forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly power and its supports—ministers, allies, and prosperity—are fragile; when they collapse, a ruler may be called to seek a higher dharma through restraint and renunciation. The verse underscores impermanence and the ethical turn from domination to self-discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a king whose ministers have been killed by enemies; despite having once sustained the realm, he now wishes to go to the forest, signaling a transition from royal life to an ascetic, withdrawn mode of living in the post-war aftermath.