Shloka 12

Jarāsandha–Vāsudeva Saṃvāda: Kṣātra-Dharma, Pride, and the Ethics of Coercion

Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 20

Devanagari script

क्षिप्रमेव यथा त्वेतत्‌ कार्य समुपपद्यते । अप्रमत्तो जगन्नाथ तथा कुरु नरोत्तम

Transliteration

kṣipram eva yathā tv etat kāryaṃ samupapadyate | apramatto jagannātha tathā kuru narottama ||

Translation

ਯੁਧਿਸ਼ਠਿਰ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਹੇ ਜਗੰਨਾਥ, ਹੇ ਨਰੋਤਮ! ਸਾਵਧਾਨ ਰਹਿ ਕੇ ਐਸਾ ਕਰੋ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਕੰਮ ਛੇਤੀ ਅਤੇ ਯਥਾਵਿਧੀ ਪੂਰਾ ਹੋ ਜਾਵੇ।

Word by Word

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• यथा: as/how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• त्वा: you
• त्वा: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कार्यम्: task/what is to be done
• कार्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• समुपपद्यते: comes about/is accomplished
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उप+√पद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• अप्रमत्तः: vigilant/unheedful of negligence
• अप्रमत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमत्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जगन्नाथ: O lord of the world
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगन्नाथ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तथा: thus/in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• कुरु: do (it)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नरोत्तम: O best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Jagannātha (honorific addressee)
• Narottama (honorific addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes timely, well-ordered action guided by vigilance: a duty should be completed quickly yet properly, without negligence or distraction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a respected figure with honorifics, urging him to carry out an intended task promptly and carefully, stressing alertness so the plan succeeds without mishap.