Shloka 16

नारदेन धृतराष्ट्रगतिवर्णनम् | Nārada’s Account of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Future Course

Devanagari script

भ्राता तव महाराज देवदेव: सनातन: । धारणान्मनसा ध्यानाद्‌ यं धर्म कवयो विदु:

Transliteration

bhrātā tava mahārāja devadevaḥ sanātanaḥ | dhāraṇān manasā dhyānād yaṃ dharma kavayo viduḥ ||

Translation

ویشَمپاین نے کہا—اے مہاراج! تمہارا بھائی دیوتاؤں کا بھی دیوتا، ازلی و ابدی ہے۔ دھارَنا، ذہن کی یکسوئی اور دھیان کے ذریعے جسے اہلِ دانش ‘دھرم’ کے نام سے پہچانتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• देवदेवः: god of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धारणात्: from/through holding (steadfastness)
• धारणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण
• Form: Feminine, Ablative, Singular

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ध्यानात्: from/through meditation
• ध्यानात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• यम्: whom/which
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मम्: Dharma / righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कवयः: sages/poets
• कवयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विदुः: know/recognize
• विदुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahārāja (the king addressed)
• the king’s brother (implied as a divine figure)
• Devadeva (epithet)
• Dharma (as a principle/personified)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True Dharma is not merely external rule-following; it is recognized through inner discipline—steadfast concentration (dhāraṇā), mental collectedness, and meditation (dhyāna). The verse elevates Dharma as a living, divine reality known by the wise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king and identifies the king’s brother as an eternal, supreme divine being—so aligned with yogic steadiness and contemplation that sages recognize him as Dharma itself.