Shloka 17

Dambhodbhava, Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and the Counsel to Abandon Hubris

Udyoga-parva 94

Devanagari script

धर्मार्थयोस्तिष्ठ राजन्‌ पाण्डवैरभिरक्षित: । न हि शक्‍्यास्तथाभूता यत्नादपि नराधिप

Transliteration

dharmārthayostiṣṭha rājan pāṇḍavair abhirakṣitaḥ | na hi śakyās tathābhūtā yatnād api narādhipa ||

Translation

اے راجن! پانڈوؤں کی حفاظت میں رہ کر آپ دھرم اور جائز خوشحالی (ارتھ) کے عمل میں ثابت قدم رہیے۔ اے نرادھپ! بڑی کوشش کے باوجود بھی پانڈوؤں جیسے محافظ حاصل نہیں ہو سکتے۔

Word by Word

• धर्मार्थयोः: of dharma and artha
• धर्मार्थयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• तिष्ठ: stand firm / abide
• तिष्ठ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (तिष्ठति)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पाण्डवैः: by the Pandavas
• पाण्डवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभिरक्षितः: protected/guarded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-रक्ष्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• शक्याः: possible/obtainable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा-भूताः: such as they are / of that kind
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथा + भूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यत्नात्: from effort / even by effort
• यत्नात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• नराधिप: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the King (rājan/narādhipa)
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should ground his rule in dharma and pursue artha only in a righteous way, relying on trustworthy guardians; truly virtuous and capable protectors like the Pāṇḍavas are rare and cannot be secured merely by effort.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king, advising him to continue righteous governance and legitimate prosperity under the protection of the Pāṇḍavas, emphasizing their exceptional reliability and strength as guardians.