Shloka 33

Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 1 — The Pandavas’ Exit from Gajasāhvaya and the Citizens’ Lament (जनमेजयप्रश्नः; पाण्डवानां वनप्रस्थानम्)

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच धन्या वयं यदस्माकं स्नेहकारुण्ययन्त्रिता: । असतोडपि गुणानाहु्ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा: प्रजा:,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--हमलोग धन्य हैं; क्योंकि ब्राह्मण आदि प्रजावर्गके लोग हमारे प्रति स्नेह और करुणाके पाशमें बँधकर जो गुण हमारे अंदर नहीं हैं, उन गुणोंको भी हममें बतला रहे हैं

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: dhanyā vayaṃ yad asmākaṃ snehakāruṇya-yantritāḥ | asato 'pi guṇān āhur brāhmaṇa-pramukhāḥ prajāḥ ||

Translation

యుధిష్ఠిరుడు అన్నాడు—మేము ధన్యులం; ఎందుకంటే బ్రాహ్మణుల నేతృత్వంలోని ప్రజలు మా పట్ల స్నేహం, కరుణల బంధంతో కట్టుబడి, నిజంగా మాలో లేని గుణాలనూ మాలో ఉన్నట్లుగా చెప్పుతున్నారు.

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid

धन्याःfortunate, blessed

वयम्we

यत्since, because

अस्माकम्of us

स्नेह-कारुण्य-यन्त्रिताःbound/controlled by affection and compassion

असतःof the non-existent / even though not (present)

अपिeven, also

गुणान्qualities, virtues

आहुःthey say, they declare

ब्राह्मण-प्रमुखाःhaving Brahmins as foremost; led by Brahmins

प्रजाःpeople, subjects

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

brāhmaṇas

prajā (the people/subjects)

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?

The verse highlights ethical humility: a ruler should recognize that praise from society may arise from affection and compassion rather than objective merit, and should not become intoxicated by undeserved acclaim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on how the populace—especially the brāhmaṇas—speak well of the Pāṇḍavas. He interprets their praise as driven by sympathy, even attributing to them virtues they may not truly possess.