Shloka 236

Jayadratha Approaches Draupadī in the Forest

Hospitality, Persuasion, and Reproach

Devanagari script

अज्ञातैर्यदि वा ज्ञातै: कर्तव्यं नूपते: प्रियम्‌ | कुरुश्रेष्ठ॒ जो राजकीय सेनामें रहकर जीविका चलाते हैं तथा राजाके राज्यमें निवास करते हैं

Transliteration

ajñātair yadi vā jñātaiḥ kartavyaṃ nṛpateḥ priyam | kuruśreṣṭha ye rājikī-senāyāṃ sthitvā jīvikāṃ calayanti tathā rājñaḥ rājyamadhye nivasanti, te jñātā vā ajñātā vā; teṣāṃ kartavyaṃ yat sadā rājñaḥ priyam ācaret ||

Translation

کرن نے کہا—جو لوگ راجہ کی فوج میں رہ کر روزی کماتے ہیں اور راجہ کی سلطنت میں سکونت رکھتے ہیں، وہ معروف ہوں یا غیر معروف؛ ان کا فرض ہے کہ ہمیشہ راجہ کو خوش رکھنے والا ہی کام کریں۔ اے کوروؤں کے شریشٹھ، ایسے لوگ راج-عنایت اور مملکت کے نظم کو قائم رکھنے والے دھرم کے پابند ہوتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• अज्ञातैः: by/with unknown (persons)
• अज्ञातैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञात (ज्ञा धातु से क्त; ‘अज्ञात’ = unknown)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• ज्ञातैः: by/with known (persons)
• ज्ञातैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञात (ज्ञा धातु से क्त; ‘ज्ञात’ = known)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• कर्तव्यम्: must be done / is a duty
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य (कृ धातु से तव्यत्; ‘to be done’)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• उपतेः: of the lord/king
• उपतेः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपति (पति-शब्द; ‘lord/king’)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रियम्: what is pleasing / a pleasing act
• प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Kuruśreṣṭha (addressed Kuru prince/elder)
• nṛpati (the king)
• rājikī senā (royal army)
• rājya (the kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those who earn their livelihood under royal protection—especially within the king’s army and territory—incur an obligation of rājadharma: to act in ways that support the ruler and preserve the stability of the realm, regardless of personal fame or anonymity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna is articulating a principle of political and social duty: subjects and soldiers living within a king’s domain should maintain conduct that pleases and supports the king, framing loyalty as a normative obligation tied to residence and livelihood.