Shloka 35

कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः

Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative

Devanagari script

मनसा नृपशार्दूल भवेत्‌ परपुरंजय: । “नरेश्वर! नृपश्रेष्ठ! शत्रुनगरविजयी वीर पुरुष क्षत्रियधर्मको स्मरण रखते हुए कभी मनसे भी ऐसा व्यवहार नहीं कर सकता, जैसा कि तुमने किया है ।। मा च दर्पसमाविष्ट: क्षेप्सी: कांश्वचित्‌ कथंचन

Transliteration

manasā nṛpaśārdūla bhavet parapuraṃjayaḥ | mā ca darpasamāviṣṭaḥ kṣepsīḥ kāṃśvacit kathaṃcana ||

Translation

ରାମ କହିଲେ—“ହେ ନୃପଶାର୍ଦୂଳ! ଶତ୍ରୁନଗର-ବିଜୟୀ ସତ୍ୟ ବିଜେତା କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟଧର୍ମ ସ୍ମରଣ କରି ମନରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ତୁମେ କରିଥିବା ପରି ଆଚରଣ କରିପାରେ ନାହିଁ। ଏବଂ ଦର୍ପରେ ଆବିଷ୍ଟ ହୋଇ କେବେ ବି କାହାକୁ କୌଣସି ପ୍ରକାରେ ଅପମାନ କିମ୍ବା ତିରସ୍କାର କରନି।”

Word by Word

मनसाby mind, mentally

नृपशार्दूलO tiger among kings

भवेत्would be / should be

परपुरंजयःconqueror of enemy cities

माdo not

चand

दर्पसमाविष्टःpossessed by pride, pride-intoxicated

क्षेप्सीःmay you not revile/insult (i.e., do not insult)

कान्whom (any persons)

क्वचित्anywhere, ever

कथंचनin any way, at all

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Rama

unnamed king addressed as nṛpaśārdūla (a ruler)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s true valor is inseparable from restraint: even mentally one should not entertain ignoble conduct, and pride must not lead to insulting others. Conquest without humility and self-control is portrayed as contrary to kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rama admonishes a king, addressing him honorifically as “tiger among kings,” yet rebuking his behavior as unworthy of a genuine conqueror. He warns him to abandon arrogance and to refrain from disparaging anyone.