Shloka 29

Dyūta-kathā-praśnaḥ — Inquiry into the Dice-Game Calamity

Devanagari script

विग्रहं दूरतो रक्षन्‌ प्रियाण्येव समाचरन्‌ | वाच्यतां न गमिष्यामि लोकेषु मनुजर्षभा:,“नररत्नो! विग्रह या वैर-विरोधको अपनेसे दूर ही रखकर सबका प्रिय करते हुए मैं संसारमें निन्दाका पात्र नहीं हो सकूँगा”

Transliteration

vigrahaṃ dūrato rakṣan priyāṇy eva samācaran | vācyatāṃ na gamiṣyāmi lokeṣu manujarṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

హే మనుజశ్రేష్ఠా! కలహాన్ని దూరంగా ఉంచి, అందరికీ ప్రీతికరమైన విధంగా మాత్రమే ప్రవర్తిస్తే, లోకంలో నేను నిందకు పాత్రుడనను.

Word by Word

विग्रहम्quarrel, conflict

दूरतःfrom afar; at a distance

रक्षन्protecting; keeping (away)

प्रियाणिpleasant things; what is agreeable

एवindeed; only

समाचरन्practising; behaving; doing

वाच्यताम्blame; reproach; being spoken of (ill)

नnot

गमिष्यामिI shall go/come to; I shall incur

लोकेषुin the worlds; among people

मनुजर्षभाःO bulls among men; O best of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana (speaker)

manujarṣabha (addressed person(s), ‘best of men’)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse commends a dharmic strategy of keeping conflict at a distance and choosing pleasing, conciliatory conduct so that one does not become blameworthy in society—ethical restraint and reputation grounded in non-provocation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a speaker’s resolve: rather than escalating hostility, he will avoid quarrel, behave agreeably, and thereby prevent public reproach—framing a deliberate choice of peaceable policy within the unfolding courtly/political tensions of the Sabha Parva.