Shloka 7

Vidurā–Putra Saṃvāda: Utsāha, Kīrti, and Kṣātra Resolve

Udyoga-parva 131

Devanagari script

अड्जवेक्षस्व धर्म त्वं यथा सृष्ट: स्वयम्भुवा । बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रिया: सृष्टा बाहुवीयोपजीविन:,बेटा! ब्रह्माजीने तुम्हारे लिये जैसे धर्मकी सृष्टि की है, उसीपर दृष्टिपात करो। उन्होंने अपनी दोनों भुजाओंसे क्षत्रियोंकों उत्पन्न किया है, अतः क्षत्रिय बाहुबलसे ही जीविका चलानेवाले होते हैं

Transliteration

adya vekṣasva dharma tvaṃ yathā sṛṣṭaḥ svayambhuvā | bāhubhyāṃ kṣatriyāḥ sṛṣṭā bāhuvīryopajīvinaḥ ||

Translation

ହେ ପୁତ୍ର! ସ୍ୱୟଂଭୂ ସୃଷ୍ଟିକର୍ତ୍ତା ଯେପରି ଧର୍ମ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିଛନ୍ତି, ସେହି ଧର୍ମକୁ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିରେ ରଖ। ତାଙ୍କର ଦୁଇ ଭୁଜାରୁ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ଜନ୍ମିଛନ୍ତି; ତେଣୁ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ଭୁଜବଳ ଓ ପରାକ୍ରମରେ ଜୀବିକା ଚାଲାଏ।

Word by Word

अड्जवेक्षस्वlook (consider)

धर्मम्duty, dharma

त्वम्you

यथाas, in the manner that

सृष्टःcreated, ordained

स्वयम्भुवाby the Self-born (Brahmā)

बाहुभ्याम्with (his) two arms

क्षत्रियाःKshatriyas

सृष्टाःcreated

बाहुवीर्योपजीविनःliving by the strength of (their) arms

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva

Svayambhū (Brahmā)

Kṣatriyas

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?

The verse grounds Kṣatriya-dharma in cosmic/social design: a warrior’s rightful livelihood and responsibility are tied to protecting order through strength and courage, not through occupations associated with other varṇas.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva exhorts the listener to reflect on their ordained duty, invoking Brahmā (Svayambhū) as authority: since Kṣatriyas are said to be created from the Creator’s arms, they are expected to live by martial prowess—an argument used in counsel during the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations.