Shloka 18

Devanagari script

इतिकर्तव्यतां चेति देशकालविभागवित्‌ | नाभिपेदे महाबाहुश्चिन्तयानो महामति:

Transliteration

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |

itikartavyatāṃ ceti deśakālavibhāgavit |

nābhipede mahābāhuś cintayāno mahāmatiḥ ||

dharmaputro mahābāhur vilalāpa suvistaram ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: Хотя могучерукий и великомудрый Дхармасын (Юдхиштхира) умел различать, что следует делать, и верно судил о различиях места и времени, даже после долгих раздумий он не смог прийти ни к какому решению. Охваченный скорбью, он долго стенал — его нравственная ясность на миг померкла от потрясения при виде павших братьев.

Word by Word

• इतिकर्तव्यताम्: what is to be done; proper course of action
• इतिकर्तव्यताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिकर्तव्यता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इति: thus; (quotative) “that”
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• देशकालविभागवित्: knower of the distinctions of place and time
• देशकालविभागवित्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देशकालविभागवित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अभिपेदे: reached; arrived at (a conclusion)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√पद्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाबाहुः: the mighty-armed (one)
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चिन्तयानः: thinking; pondering
• चिन्तयानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तयत्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महामतिः: the great-minded (one)
• महामतिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मपुत्रः: Dharma’s son (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विललाप: lamented; wailed
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लप्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सुविस्तरम्: at great length; extensively
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुविस्तर

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a person grounded in dharma and skilled in situational judgment (deśa-kāla) can be temporarily paralyzed by grief; the verse highlights the tension between ethical discernment and overwhelming emotion, implying that clarity of duty may require steadiness of mind in addition to knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes Yudhiṣṭhira as deeply distressed and unable to decide what to do, despite his reputation for wisdom and discernment; he laments at length, indicating a moment of crisis where judgment does not immediately yield action.