Shloka 8

Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ

Devanagari script

न सकामा: परे कार्या धर्ममेवाचरोत्तमम्‌ । भ्रातरं धार्मिकं ज्येष्ठं को$तिवर्तितुमरहति,भैया! शत्रुओंकी कामना सफल न करो; उत्तम धर्मका ही आचरण करो। भला, अपने धर्मात्मा ज्येष्ठ भ्राताका अपमान कौन कर सकता है?

Transliteration

na sakāmāḥ pare kāryā dharmam evācarottamam | bhrātaraṃ dhārmikaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ ko 'tivartitum arhati, bhaiyā | śatrūṇāṃ kāmanāṃ saphalāṃ na karo; uttama dharmakā hī ācaraṇa karo | bhalā, apane dharmātmā jyeṣṭha bhrātākā apamāna kauna kara saktā hai? |

Translation

ଅର୍ଜୁନ କହିଲେ—ଭାଇ! ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କ ଇଚ୍ଛା ସଫଳ କରନି; ଉତ୍ତମ ଧର୍ମକୁ ହିଁ ଆଚରଣ କର। ଧର୍ମାତ୍ମା ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ଭ୍ରାତାଙ୍କୁ କିଏ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରି ଅପମାନ କରିପାରିବ?

Word by Word

नnot

सकामाḥdesirous (of personal gain)

परेothers; opponents

कार्याःto be done; to be acted upon

धर्मम्dharma; righteousness

एवonly; indeed

आचरतpractice; perform

उत्तमम्best; highest

भ्रातरम्brother

धार्मिकम्righteous; virtuous

ज्येष्ठम्eldest

कःwho?

अतिवर्तितुम्to overstep; to transgress

अर्हतिis able/fit; can; deserves

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

eldest brother (Yudhishthira, implied)

enemies (Shatrus)

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?

Act from dharma rather than desire, and do not enable an adversary’s aims; uphold righteous conduct and honor rightful familial hierarchy, especially the dharmic eldest brother.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Sabha Parva context of political tension and humiliation, Arjuna urges restraint and principled action: he counsels that one should not transgress against the eldest, righteous brother, nor behave in a way that grants success to enemies.