Shloka 123

Adhyāya 10: Śrutakarmā’s Engagements; Prativindhya–Citra Duel; Drauṇi Advances toward Bhīma

Devanagari script

उपाया: पण्डितै:ः प्रोक्तास्ते तु दैवमुपाश्रिता: । “विद्वानोंने अभीष्ट अर्थकी सिद्धि करानेवाले चार उपाय बताये हैं--राग (राजाके प्रति सैनिकोंकी भक्ति)

Transliteration

upāyāḥ paṇḍitaiḥ proktās te tu daivam upāśritāḥ |

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—داناؤں نے مطلوبہ مقصد کی تکمیل کے لیے چار تدبیریں بتائی ہیں: راگ (محبت/وفاداری)، یوگ (اسباب و وسائل)، دَکشتا (جوش، قوت اور مہارت) اور نیتی (حکمتِ عملی)؛ مگر یہ سب آخرکار دَیو/تقدیر کے تابع ہیں۔

Word by Word

• उपायाः: means, methods
• उपायाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पण्डितैः: by the learned (men)
• पण्डितैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रोक्ताः: declared, stated
• प्रोक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• दैवम्: fate, destiny
• दैवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उपाश्रिताः: having resorted to, dependent on
• उपाश्रिताः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-श्रि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even well-devised human strategies (upāya) do not guarantee success; their outcome is ultimately contingent on daiva (destiny). The verse frames an ethical realism: one should act wisely and diligently, yet remain aware that results may lie beyond control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Karṇa Parva context, reflects on the limits of counsel and strategy in war: although the wise prescribe methods for achieving aims, the unfolding of the battle is governed by fate as well as effort.