Shloka 5

Devanagari script

सर्वे वेदविद: शूरा: सर्वे भास्वरमूर्तय: । प्रावर्तत महाराज सुहृद्‌ द्यूतमनन्तरम्‌,महाराज! वे सब-के-सब वेदवेत्ता एवं शूरवीर थे तथा उनके शरीर तेजोयुक्त थे। उनके बैठ जानेके अनन्तर वहाँ सुहृदोंकी द्यूतक्रीड़ा आरम्भ हुई

Transliteration

sarve vedavidaḥ śūrāḥ sarve bhāsvaramūrtayaḥ | prāvartata mahārāja suhṛd dyūtam anantaram ||

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—اے مہاراج! وہ سب کے سب ویدوں کے جاننے والے اور بہادر تھے؛ سب کے پیکر روشن تھے۔ اُن کے بیٹھتے ہی فوراً دوستوں اور قرابت داروں کی جُوا بازی شروع ہو گئی۔

Word by Word

सर्वेall

वेदविदःknowers of the Veda

शूराःheroes, valiant men

सर्वेall

भास्वरमूर्तयःhaving radiant forms

प्रावर्ततbegan, commenced

महाराजO great king

सुहृदाम्of friends, of well-wishers

द्यूतम्game of dice, gambling

अनन्तरम्immediately after, thereafter

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Mahārāja (the king addressed, i.e., Janamejaya as listener in the frame narrative)

suhṛt (friends/kinsmen as a group)

dyūta (dice-game)

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?

The verse highlights a moral tension: learning, valor, and outward brilliance do not automatically ensure self-mastery. Even eminent men may enter situations—like gambling—that can rapidly undermine dharma and relationships if restraint and wise counsel are absent.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the assembled nobles—described as Veda-learned, heroic, and radiant—have taken their seats, the dice-game among the ‘friends/kinsmen’ begins, setting the stage for the ensuing ethical and political crisis of the Sabha Parva.