Shloka 4

Devanagari script

यस्यां पूर्व मतिर्याता यया व्याप्तमिदं जगत्‌ । चक्षुषी यत्र धर्मस्य यत्र चैष प्रतिक्तित:

Transliteration

yasyāṃ pūrva matir yātā yayā vyāptam idaṃ jagat | cakṣuṣī yatra dharmasya yatra caiṣa pratiktitaḥ ||

Translation

எந்தத் திசையில் பழமையான அறிவு நிலைபெற்றதோ, எந்தத் திசையால் இந்த உலகமெல்லாம் வியாபிக்கப்பட்டதோ—அங்கேதான் தர்மத்தின் இரு கண்கள் உள்ளன; அங்கேயே இந்தத் தத்துவம் தெளிவாக நிறுவப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Word by Word

यस्याम्in which (in whom)

पूर्वम्formerly, earlier

मतिःmind, thought, intention

याताgone, has gone

ययाby which (by whom)

व्याप्तम्pervaded, filled

इदम्this

जगत्world, universe

चक्षुषीtwo eyes

यत्रwhere

धर्मस्यof dharma, of righteousness

यत्रwhere

चand

एषःthis (he/it)

प्रतिष्ठितःestablished, set, stationed

Speaker

युपर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yuparṇa

Dharma

jagat (the world)

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?

Dharma is presented as an all-pervading principle grounded in ancient, well-established understanding; true moral vision depends on the ‘two eyes’ of Dharma—clear discernment rooted in authoritative tradition and right perception.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yuparṇa is emphasizing the authority and universality of Dharma, pointing to a recognized teaching or standpoint—something already affirmed by earlier wisdom—and describing it as the means by which one properly ‘sees’ what is right.