Shloka 7

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 106: Pūrva-Diśa Praśaṃsā

Praise and Primacy of the Eastern Quarter

Devanagari script

सुह्ृदां हि धनं भुक्त्वा कृत्वा प्रणयमीप्सितम्‌ । प्रतिकर्तुमशक्तस्य जीवितान्मरणं वरम्‌

Transliteration

suhṛdāṁ hi dhanaṁ bhuktvā kṛtvā praṇayam īpsitam | pratikartum aśaktasya jīvitān maraṇaṁ varam ||

Translation

ଇଚ୍ଛାନୁସାରେ ସ୍ନେହ-ସମ୍ବନ୍ଧ ସ୍ଥାପନ କରି ସୁହୃଦମାନଙ୍କ ଧନ ଭୋଗ କରି ମଧ୍ୟ ଯେ ତାଙ୍କ ଉପକାରର ପ୍ରତିଦାନ କରିବାରେ ଅସମର୍ଥ, ତାହା ପାଇଁ ଏମିତି ଜୀବନଠାରୁ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ।

Word by Word

• सुहृदाम्: of friends / well-wishers
• सुहृदाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भुक्त्वा: having enjoyed/consumed
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• प्रणयम्: affectionate bond / friendship
• प्रणयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ईप्सितम्: desired (as wished)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्सित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिकर्तुम्: to repay / to return (a favor)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + कृ
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive)

• अशक्तस्य: of one who is unable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशक्त
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• जीवितात्: than living / from life
• जीवितात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वरम्: better / preferable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• suhṛd (well-wishers/friends)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should not exploit the resources of well-wishers after cultivating intimacy; ethical living requires gratitude and the capacity to repay kindness. If one cannot requite benefactors, such a life is portrayed as shameful—so shameful that death is said to be preferable.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Nārada delivers a pointed moral observation about obligations created by friendship and benefaction, emphasizing the dharmic duty to return help received rather than living on others’ wealth without reciprocation.