Shloka 8

Dambhodbhava, Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and the Counsel to Abandon Hubris

Udyoga-parva 94

Devanagari script

त्वं हि धारयिता श्रेष्ठ: कुरूणां कुरुसत्तम | मिथ्या प्रचरतां तात बाहोष्वाभ्यन्तरेषु च,तात कुरुश्रेष्ठ! यदि कौरवगण बाहर और भीतर (प्रकट और गुप्तरूपसे) मिथ्या आचरण (असदव्यवहार) करने लगें, तो आप ही उन्हें रोककर सन्मार्गमें स्थापित करनेवाले हैं

Transliteration

tvaṁ hi dhārayitā śreṣṭhaḥ kurūṇāṁ kurusattama | mithyā pracaratāṁ tāta bāhoṣv ābhyantareṣu ca ||

Translation

ఓ కురుశ్రేష్ఠా! కురువంశాన్ని నిలబెట్టే శ్రేష్ఠ ఆధారము నీవే. ప్రియ తాతా! కౌరవులు బయటా లోపలా—ప్రకటంగానూ గుప్తంగానూ—మిథ్యాచరణకు దిగితే, వారిని నియంత్రించి ధర్మమార్గంలో మళ్లీ నిలిపేవాడు నీవే।

Word by Word

त्वम्you

हिindeed/for

धारयिताsupporter/maintainer (one who upholds)

श्रेष्ठःbest, foremost

कुरूणाम्of the Kurus

कुरु-सत्तमO best of the Kurus

मिथ्याfalsely, wrongly

प्रचरताम्(when they) behave/act

तातO dear one / O father (vocative)

बाहुषुin the arms / outwardly (lit. in the arms)

अभ्यन्तरेषुin the interior/within

चand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kurus

Kauravas

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?

Moral authority carries the duty of restraint: the foremost elder or leader must check wrongdoing not only in public acts but also in hidden, inward schemes, and restore the community to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events of the Udyoga Parva, describes an address to a Kuru-elder/leader, emphasizing that when the Kauravas drift into false conduct—openly or secretly—this person is expected to curb them and re-establish righteous conduct.