Shloka 51

Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154

Devanagari script

अनिर्वेद: सदा कार्यों निर्वेदाद्धि कुतः सुखम्‌ । प्रयत्नात्‌ प्राप्यते हार्थ: कस्माद्‌ गच्छथ निर्दयम्‌

Transliteration

jambuka uvāca | anirvedaḥ sadā kāryo nirvedād dhi kutaḥ sukham | prayatnāt prāpyate hy arthaḥ kasmād gacchatha nirdayam ||

Translation

ଜମ୍ବୁକ କହିଲା—ନିରୁତ୍ସାହକୁ କେବେ ମନେ ସ୍ଥାନ ଦେବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ; କାରଣ ଖେଦରୁ ସୁଖ କେଉଁଠୁ? ପ୍ରୟାସରେ ହିଁ ଇଚ୍ଛିତ ଫଳ ମିଳେ। ତେବେ ଏହି ଶିଶୁର ରକ୍ଷା ପ୍ରୟାସ ଛାଡ଼ି, ତୁମେ ଏତେ ନିର୍ଦୟ ହୋଇ କେଉଁଠିକୁ ଚାଲିଯାଉଛ?

Word by Word

• अनिर्वेदः: non-despondency, absence of dejection
• अनिर्वेदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिर्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• कार्यः: to be done; should be maintained/practised
• कार्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्वेदात्: from despondency
• निर्वेदात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• कुतः: whence? how (could it be)?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• प्रयत्नात्: from effort; by effort
• प्रयत्नात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप्
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• अर्थः: object/goal; desired result
• अर्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कस्मात्: from what cause? why?
• कस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• गच्छथ: do you go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada, Second, Plural

• निर्दयम्: cruelly; without compassion (as an adverbial accusative)
• निर्दयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्दय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

जम्बुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Jambuka
• child (bālaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not give mental space to dejection; happiness and success arise from sustained effort. Ethically, one must not abandon compassionate duty—especially the protection of a vulnerable child—out of fatigue or discouragement.

What is happening in the narrative?

Jambuka rebukes a group who are withdrawing from the effort to safeguard a child. He urges them to persist, arguing that goals are achieved only through exertion and that leaving the child unprotected is an act of cruelty.