Shloka 23
उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy
Opening
मार्कण्डेय उदाच दयावान् सर्वभूतेषु हितो रक्तोडनसूयक:,मार्कण्डेयजीने कहा--राजन्! तुम सब प्राणियोंपर दया करो। सबके हितैषी बने रहो। सबपर प्रेमभाव रखो और किसीमें दोषदृष्टि मत करो। सत्यवादी, कोमलस्वभाव, जितेन्द्रिय और प्रजापालनमें तत्पर रहकर धर्मका आचरण करो। अधर्मको दूरसे ही त्याग दो तथा देवता और पितरोंकी आराधना करते रहो
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca—rājan! sarvabhūteṣu dayāvān bhava, sarvahite rataḥ, anasūyakaḥ; sarveṣu prema-bhāvaṃ kuru, doṣa-dṛṣṭiṃ mā kṛthāḥ. satyavādī, komala-svabhāvaḥ, jitendriyaḥ, prajā-pālane tatparaś ca san dharmam ācara; adharmam dūrata eva tyaja; devān pitṝṃś ca ārādhaya.
Mārkaṇḍeya disse: “Ó rei, sê compassivo para com todos os seres. Permanece dedicado ao bem de todos e livre do hábito de procurar faltas. Conserva uma atitude de amor para com todos e não busques defeitos nos outros. Diz a verdade, sê de natureza branda, domina os sentidos e aplica-te à proteção dos teus súditos—assim pratica o dharma. Afasta de ti o adharma, e continua a venerar os deuses e a honrar os ancestrais (pitṛs).”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a ruler’s dharma: universal compassion, commitment to the common good, freedom from fault-finding, truthfulness, gentleness, sense-control, diligent protection of subjects, rejection of adharma, and continued reverence for gods and ancestors.
In the Vana Parva context, the sage Mārkaṇḍeya addresses a king and offers ethical instruction—summarizing the qualities and practices that sustain righteous governance and personal conduct.