Shloka 2

Adhyāya 20 — Rājadharma Argument for Paternal Inheritance and Timely Conciliation

Devanagari script

सर्व कौशल्यमुक्त्वा55दौ पृष्टवा चैवमनामयम्‌ । सर्वसेनाप्रणेतृणां मध्ये वाक्यमुवाच ह,उन्होंने पहले (अपने पक्षके लोगोंका) सारा कुशलसमाचार बताकर धूृतराष्ट्र आदिके स्वास्थ्यका समाचार पूछा, फिर सम्पूर्ण सेनानायकोंके समक्ष इस प्रकार कहा--

Transliteration

sarva-kauśalyam uktvā pr̥ṣṭvā caivam anāmayam | sarva-senā-praṇetr̥ṇāṁ madhye vākyam uvāca ha ||

Translation

เขาได้กล่าวถ้อยคำแห่งสวัสดีและความผาสุกก่อน แล้วจึงทูลถามถึงพระพลานามัยของพระเจ้าธฤตราษฏระและผู้อื่น ๆ จากนั้นจึงกล่าวถ้อยคำนี้ท่ามกลางบรรดาแม่ทัพทั้งปวง

Word by Word

सर्वम्all (entire)

कौशल्यम्welfare, well-being

उक्त्वाhaving said/told

दौthen (particle; reading uncertain)

पृष्ट्वाhaving asked

चand

एवindeed, just

अमनामयम्free from illness; health

सर्वसेनाप्रणेतृणाम्of all the army-leaders/commanders

मध्येin the midst

वाक्यम्speech, words

उवाचsaid, spoke

हindeed (emphatic particle)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

senā-praṇetr̥s (army commanders)

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?

Even when the subject is politically charged and war-oriented, dhārmic conduct begins with respect, welfare-inquiry, and measured speech. The verse models a norm of ethical communication: establish goodwill and acknowledge others’ well-being before delivering consequential counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

After exchanging formal courtesies—reporting general welfare and asking about the elders’ health—the speaker (contextually an envoy/counsellor figure) addresses the assembled military leadership, indicating a transition from polite preliminaries to a serious public statement before the commanders.