Shloka 21

अध्याय ९ — धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति राजनित्युपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Royal Policy to Yudhiṣṭhira

Devanagari script

न स्वल्पमपि पुत्रस्ते व्यलीकं॑ कृतवान्‌ नृप । पितरीव सुविदश्वस्तास्तस्मिन्नपि नराधिपे

Transliteration

na svalpam api putras te vyalīkaṃ kṛtavān nṛpa | pitarīva suvidaśvāstās tasminn api narādhipe ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Tâu Đại vương, con trai của bệ hạ không hề làm điều dối trá dù chỉ một mảy. Nơi vị chúa tể ấy, người ta đặt trọn niềm tin như đặt vào người cha—an lòng, không chút nghi ngờ.”

Word by Word

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

• स्वल्पम्: a little (thing)
• स्वल्पम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• व्यलीकम्: deceit/falsehood
• व्यलीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यलीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृतवान्: has done/did
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्तवतुँ, Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Parasmaipada (active sense)

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

• पितरि: in/with regard to (his) father
• पितरि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• सुविदश्वस्ताः: well-assured/fully confident
• सुविदश्वस्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुविदश्वस्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तस्मिन्: in him/with regard to him
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• नराधिपे: in the lord of men (king)
• नराधिपे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• nṛpa (the king addressed)
• putra (the king’s son)
• narādhipa (the lord of men/king referred to)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds ethical kingship and personal integrity: even minor deceit (vyalīka) erodes dharma, whereas unwavering truthfulness makes a ruler (or leader) worthy of filial trust—trusted like a father.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king and praises the king’s son, stating that he never practiced even slight deception; people felt secure and confident in him, trusting him as they would a fatherly protector.