Shloka 54

Dharma-śaṅkā-nivāraṇa: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Response on Karma-Phala and Trust in Dharma

Devanagari script

अप्रमत्तेन तत्‌ कार्यमुपदेष्टा पराक्रम: । भूयिष्ठं कर्मयोगेषु दृष्ट एव पराक्रम:,सावधान होकर देश-कालके अनुरूप कार्य करे। इसमें पराक्रम ही उपदेशक (प्रधान) है। कार्यकी समस्त युक्तियोंमें पराक्रम ही सबसे श्रेष्ठ समझा गया है

Transliteration

apramattena tat kāryam upadeṣṭā parākramaḥ | bhūyiṣṭhaṃ karmayogeṣu dṛṣṭa eva parākramaḥ ||

Translation

«Это дело следует совершать с бдительной осторожностью; в подобных вопросах сама доблесть — главный наставник. Воистину, среди многих практических способов довести дело до конца доблесть считается первейшей.»

Word by Word

अप्रमत्तेनby one who is vigilant / with vigilance

तत्that (task/thing)

कार्यम्the work / what must be done

उपदेष्टाthe instructor / prompter

पराक्रमःvalor / enterprise

भूयिष्ठम्most / the greatest

कर्मयोगेषुin the methods/strategies of action

दृष्टःis seen / is regarded

एवindeed / alone

पराक्रमःvalor / enterprise

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

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?

Act with alertness and situational awareness; among all techniques for getting work done, decisive courage and energetic initiative (parākrama) is the most effective guiding principle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a rule of conduct for undertaking necessary tasks: one must not be careless, and in executing duties—especially in difficult circumstances—valor and resolute effort function as the primary guide.