Shloka 22

Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)

Devanagari script

धर्मार्थो धर्मकामौ च कामार्थो चाप्पपीडयन्‌ । धर्मार्थकामान्‌ यो<भ्येति सो>त्यन्तं सुखमश्ुते

Transliteration

dharmārtho dharmakāmau ca kāmārtho cāpy apīḍayan | dharmārthakāmān yo 'bhyeti so 'tyantaṃ sukham aśnute ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Khi các mục tiêu đời người—dharma với artha, dharma với kāma, và kāma với artha—không chèn ép lẫn nhau, và một người dung hòa dharma, artha, kāma cùng nhau, người ấy đạt được hạnh phúc tối thượng.

Word by Word

• धर्मार्थः: dharma-and-artha (righteousness and wealth)
• धर्मार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मकामौ: dharma-and-kāma (righteousness and desire/pleasure)
• धर्मकामौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मकाम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कामार्थः: kāma-and-artha (pleasure and wealth)
• कामार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• पीडयन्: afflicting/oppressing
• पीडयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मार्थकामान्: dharma, artha, and kāma (the three aims)
• धर्मार्थकामान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मार्थकाम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्येति: approaches/attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-इ
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अत्यन्तम्: utterly/entirely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अश्नुते: enjoys/obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that true well-being comes from integrating dharma (ethical duty), artha (material welfare), and kāma (legitimate desire) so that none undermines the others; harmony among these aims yields the highest happiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya, narrating events and reflections from the war context to Dhritarashtra, states a general ethical principle: the balanced pursuit of dharma, artha, and kāma—without mutual conflict—leads to lasting happiness.