Shloka 19

धर्मव्याधोपदेशः

Dharma-vyādha’s Instruction on Śiṣṭācāra and Dharma

Devanagari script

यथा मां वै साधुवादै: प्रसन्ना: प्रशंसेयु: शिबय: कर्मणा तु । यथा श्येन प्रियमेव कुर्या प्रशाधि मां यद्‌ वदेस्तत्‌ करोमि,बाज! जिस कर्मसे शिबिदेशके लोग प्रसन्न होकर मुझे साधुवाद देते हुए मेरी भूरि-भूरि प्रशंसा करें और जिससे मेरेद्वारा तुम्हारा भी प्रिय कार्य बन सके, वह बताओ। उसीके लिये मुझे आज्ञा दो। मैं वही करूँगा

Transliteration

yathā māṃ vai sādhuvādaiḥ prasannāḥ praśaṃseyuḥ śibayaḥ karmaṇā tu | yathā śyena priyam eva kuryā praśādhi māṃ yad vades tat karomi, bāja |

Translation

ஷ்யேனன் கூறினான்—“எந்தச் செயலை நான் செய்ய வேண்டும்? அதனால் ஷிபி நாட்டார் மகிழ்ந்து நல்வாழ்த்துகளால் என்னைப் புகழ வேண்டும்; அதே நேரத்தில் உனக்குப் பிரியமான நோக்கமும் நிறைவேற வேண்டும். எனக்கு ஆணையிடு; நீ சொல்வதையே நான் செய்வேன்.”

Word by Word

• {'yathā': 'so that

• in such a way that', 'mām': 'me', 'vai': 'indeed

• surely (emphatic particle)', 'sādhuvādaiḥ': 'with words of approval

• with commendations', 'prasannāḥ': 'pleased

• satisfied', 'praśaṃseyuḥ': 'may praise

• would praise', 'śibayaḥ': 'the Śibis

• people of Śibi', 'karmaṇā': 'by an action

• through a deed', 'tu': 'but

• indeed (contrast/emphasis)', 'śyena': 'O hawk (vocative)

• also ‘hawk’ as the speaker’s identity', 'priyam': 'dear

• pleasing', 'eva': 'only

• precisely', 'kuryā': 'may I do

• should I do', 'praśādhi': 'instruct

• direct (imperative)', 'yad': 'whatever which', 'vadeḥ': 'you say (2nd person singular, optative/subjunctive sense)', 'tat': 'that', 'karomi': 'I do

• I will do', 'bāja': 'O Bāja (vocative

Speaker

श्येन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śyena (the Hawk)
• Śibi (people/kingdom of Śibi)
• Bāja

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical deliberation: an action is sought that will be publicly recognized as righteous (sādhuvāda) and also accomplish a legitimate aim. It highlights the tension between reputation, intention, and dharmic correctness—seeking guidance so that one’s deed aligns with both moral approval and the fulfillment of a stated purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śibi-related episode, the Hawk speaks within a dialogue and asks to be instructed about what deed to perform. He wants an action that will earn the Śibis’ praise and simultaneously satisfy Bāja’s desired objective, promising to carry out whatever instruction is given.