Shloka 13

Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)

Devanagari script

समीक्ष्य तुलया पार्थ काम॑ स्वर्ग च भारत | अयं पन्था महर्षीणामियं लोकविदां गति:

Transliteration

samīkṣya tulayā pārtha kāmaṁ svargaṁ ca bhārata | ayaṁ panthā maharṣīṇām iyaṁ lokavidāṁ gatiḥ ||

Translation

నకులుడు పలికెను—“హే పార్థా, హే భారతా! కామమును స్వర్గమును వివేకతులలో తూకమేసి చూచినపుడు—ఇదే మహర్షుల మార్గము; ఇదే లోకవిదుల గతి.”

Word by Word

समीक्ष्यhaving examined/considered

तुलयाby a balance; by weighing

पार्थO Partha (Arjuna)

कामम्desire; pleasure

स्वर्गम्heaven

चand

भारतO Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

अयम्this

पन्थाःpath; way

महर्षीणाम्of the great seers

इयम्this

लोकविदाम्of the knowers of the worlds

गतिःcourse; goal; way

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nakula

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Bhārata (Bharata-lineage addressee)

Svarga (heaven)

Maharṣis (great seers)

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?

One should critically weigh worldly desire (kāma) and even heavenly reward (svarga) and choose the higher path endorsed by sages—conduct grounded in wisdom rather than in craving or reward-seeking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula addresses a Bharata prince (explicitly calling him Pārtha and Bhārata) and affirms that, after deliberate evaluation, the way being indicated aligns with the tradition of great seers and the insight of those who understand the world.