Shloka 54

Dharma-śaṅkā-nivāraṇa: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Response on Karma-Phala and Trust in Dharma

Devanagari script

अप्रमत्तेन तत्‌ कार्यमुपदेष्टा पराक्रम: । भूयिष्ठं कर्मयोगेषु दृष्ट एव पराक्रम:,सावधान होकर देश-कालके अनुरूप कार्य करे। इसमें पराक्रम ही उपदेशक (प्रधान) है। कार्यकी समस्त युक्तियोंमें पराक्रम ही सबसे श्रेष्ठ समझा गया है

Transliteration

apramattena tat kāryam upadeṣṭā parākramaḥ | bhūyiṣṭhaṃ karmayogeṣu dṛṣṭa eva parākramaḥ ||

Translation

“Ang gawaing iyon ay dapat isakatuparan nang may mapagmatyag na pag-iingat, na walang pagpapabaya; sa gayong mga bagay, ang kagitingan mismo ang pangunahing guro. Tunay nga, sa maraming paraan upang maisakatuparan ang isang gawain, ang kagitingan ang kinikilalang pinakadakila.”

Word by Word

अप्रमत्तेनby one who is vigilant / with vigilance

तत्that (task/thing)

कार्यम्the work / what must be done

उपदेष्टाthe instructor / prompter

पराक्रमःvalor / enterprise

भूयिष्ठम्most / the greatest

कर्मयोगेषुin the methods/strategies of action

दृष्टःis seen / is regarded

एवindeed / alone

पराक्रमःvalor / enterprise

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

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?

Act with alertness and situational awareness; among all techniques for getting work done, decisive courage and energetic initiative (parākrama) is the most effective guiding principle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a rule of conduct for undertaking necessary tasks: one must not be careless, and in executing duties—especially in difficult circumstances—valor and resolute effort function as the primary guide.