Shloka 13

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule

Devanagari script

ब्रवीम्यहं न कार्पण्यान्नार्थहेतो: कथंचन । भीष्मेण दत्तमिच्छामि न त्वया राजसत्तम

Transliteration

bravīmy ahaṃ na kārpaṇyān nārtha-hetoḥ kathaṃcana | bhīṣmeṇa dattam icchāmi na tvayā rāja-sattama ||

Translation

ହେ ନୃପଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ମୁଁ ଦୀନତାରୁ କିମ୍ବା ଧନଲାଭ ହେତୁ କେବେ ଏହି କଥା କହୁନାହିଁ। ମୋତେ ଭୀଷ୍ମ ଯାହା ଦେଇଛନ୍ତି ସେହିଟି ଚାହିଁ; ତୁମ ଦିଆ ନୁହେଁ।

Word by Word

• ब्रवीमि: I speak / I say
• ब्रवीमि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)

• कार्पण्यात्: from wretchedness / out of meanness
• कार्पण्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्पण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• न: nor / not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)

• अर्थ-हेतोः: from/for the sake of wealth (money-motive)
• अर्थ-हेतोः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थहेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• कथंचन: in any way / at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)

• भीष्मेण: by Bhishma
• भीष्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दत्तम्: given (that which is given)
• दत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इच्छामि: I desire / I want
• इच्छामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)

• त्वया: by you / from you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• राज-सत्तम: O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Bhīṣma
• rāja-sattama (addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds integrity in speech and conduct: one should not speak or act from baseness or greed. It also stresses the ethical weight of a gift’s source—accepting (or seeking) what is rightfully given by a worthy giver, while refusing what would compromise honor or propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses a king and clarifies his motive: he is not petitioning out of poverty or for profit. He insists on receiving only what Bhīṣma has given, explicitly rejecting any substitute offered by the king, thereby asserting principle over convenience.