Mahabharata 3.2.5 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 2, Shloka 5

ब्राह्मणानुयात्रा—शौनकोपदेशः

Brāhmaṇas Follow into Exile and Śaunaka’s Instruction

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा ऊचु गतिर्या भवतां राजंस्तां वयं गन्तुमुद्यता: | ना्हस्यस्मान्‌ परित्यक्तुं भक्तान्‌ सद्धर्मदर्शिन:

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ gatir yā bhavatāṃ rājan tāṃ vayaṃ gantum udyatāḥ | nārhasi asmān parityaktuṃ bhaktān saddharma-darśinaḥ ||

Translation

ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ କହିଲେ—“ହେ ରାଜନ୍! ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଯେ ଗତି ହେବ, ସେହି ଗତିକୁ ଯିବା ପାଇଁ ଆମେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଉଦ୍ୟତ। ଆମେ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଭକ୍ତ ଏବଂ ସଦ୍ଧର୍ମଦର୍ଶୀ; ତେଣୁ ଆମକୁ ପରିତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ।”

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• गतिः: course; destiny; path
• गतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• या: which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भवताम्: of you (honorific)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Plural

• गन्तुम्: to go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• उद्यताः: ready; prepared
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अर्हसि: you ought; you should
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Plural

• परित्यक्तुम्: to abandon; to leave behind
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज्
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• भक्तान्: devoted ones; devotees
• भक्तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सद्धर्मदर्शिनः: seeing/knowing true dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्धर्मदर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇas
• rājan (the king, addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True dharma is shown through steadfast loyalty and moral clarity: devoted, dharma-minded companions willingly share the ruler’s hardship, and the king is ethically bound not to cast off such faithful supporters.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of brāhmaṇas addresses the king, declaring that they are ready to follow him wherever his destiny leads and urging him not to abandon them, since they are devoted and guided by right dharma.