Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 5

कुरुवंशप्रश्नः—दुःषन्तस्य राजधर्मवर्णनम्

Kuru Lineage Inquiry and the Portrait of King Duḥṣanta’s Rule

किमर्थ ते नरव्याप्रा: शक्ता: सन्‍्तो हनागस: । प्रयुज्यमानान्‌ संक्लेशान्‌ क्षान्तवन्तो दुरात्मनाम्‌,नरश्रेष्ठ पाण्डव शक्तिशाली और निरपराध थे तो भी उन्होंने दुरात्मा कौरवोंके दिये हुए महान्‌ क्लेशोंको कैसे चुपचाप सहन कर लिया?

janamejaya uvāca |

kimartha te naravyāprāḥ śaktāḥ santo hanāgasaḥ |

prayujyamānān saṅkleśān kṣāntavanto durātmanām ||

ชนะเมชยะถามว่า “ด้วยเหตุใดเหล่าปาณฑพ ผู้เป็นนรश्रेष्ठ ทั้งสามารถ กล้าหาญ และไร้ความผิด จึงอดทนรับความทุกข์อันหนักหนาที่เหล่ากุรุผู้ใจชั่วก่อให้ โดยสงบเงียบ?”

किमर्थम्for what reason? why?
किमर्थम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिम् + अर्थ
तेthey (those of yours/you all)
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Nominative, Plural
नरव्याप्राःtiger-like men / best of men
नरव्याप्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनरव्याप्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शक्ताःcapable, powerful
शक्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सन्तःbeing
सन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (सत्)
FormPresent (participle), —, Plural
अनागसःsinless, innocent
अनागसः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअनागस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्रयुज्यमानान्being inflicted/applied
प्रयुज्यमानान्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + युज्
FormPresent (passive participle), —, Plural, Accusative, Masculine
संक्लेशान्afflictions, hardships
संक्लेशान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसंक्लेश
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
क्षान्तवन्तःenduring, patient
क्षान्तवन्तः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootक्षान्तवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
दुरात्मनाम्of the wicked (persons)
दुरात्मनाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootदुरात्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
नरश्रेष्ठO best of men
नरश्रेष्ठ:
TypeNoun
Rootनरश्रेष्ठ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

जनमेजय उवाच

J
Janamejaya
P
Pāṇḍavas
K
Kauravas

Educational Q&A

The verse foregrounds the ethical tension between strength and restraint: even the powerful and innocent may choose forbearance (kṣamā) when guided by dharma, long-term purpose, and respect for social order, rather than reacting immediately to wrongdoing.

King Janamejaya, listening to the Mahābhārata account, asks why the Pāṇḍavas—despite their strength and blamelessness—tolerated the severe troubles inflicted by the wicked Kauravas, seeking the deeper reason behind their patience.