Shanti Parva Adhyaya 140 Shloka 105 - Mahabharata | Tamil | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 105

Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)

Devanagari script

सम्भावयति मातेव दीनमप्युपपद्यते । दहत्यग्निरिवानिष्टान्‌ यमयन्नसतो यम:

Transliteration

sambhāvayati māteva dīnam apy upapadyate | dahaty agnir ivāniṣṭān yamayann asato yamaḥ ||

Translation

அவன் தாயைப் போல—தகுந்த வேளையில்—துன்புற்றவனையும் மதிக்கிறான். ஆனால் அக்னியைப் போல விரும்பத்தகாததைச் சுட்டழிக்கிறான்; யமனைப் போல அநீதியாளரை அடக்கி தண்டிக்கிறான்.

Word by Word

सम्भावयतिhonors, esteems, treats with regard

माताmother

इवlike, as

दीनम्the poor/distressed (person)

अपिeven, also

उपपद्यतेis fitting/appropriate; is possible; is consistent

दहतिburns

अग्निःfire

इवlike, as

अनिष्टान्undesirable (ones), evil-doers/foes

यमयन्restraining, controlling

असतःof the wicked/untrue (person)

यमःYama; the restrainer (god of death/justice)

Speaker

ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्रह्मदत्त (Brahmadatta)

य

यम (Yama)

अ

अग्नि (Agni, fire)

म

माता (mother, as a simile)

Character Dynamics

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?

The verse presents the ideal of righteous authority: compassion and respect toward the vulnerable when appropriate, combined with firm restraint and corrective punishment toward wrongdoing—balancing maternal care with Yama-like justice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Brahmadatta is describing the qualities of a dharmic ruler/disciplinarian: he can nurture and uplift the distressed, yet he also destroys harmful elements like fire and restrains the unrighteous like Yama, emphasizing balanced governance.