Shloka 34

Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

कुरुते मूढ एवं हि य: श्रेयो नाधिगच्छति । धूपैरठ्जनयोगैश्व नस्यकर्मभिरेव च

Transliteration

kurute mūḍha evaṁ hi yaḥ śreyo nādhigacchati | dhūpair añjanayogaiś ca nasyakarmabhir eva ca ||

Translation

Kẻ mê muội hành xử như thế, nên không đạt được điều lợi ích chân thật. Người ấy bận bịu với việc xông khói, bôi thuốc kohl lên mắt, và các phép trị liệu qua mũi—những phương tiện bên ngoài—mà vẫn không chạm tới thiện ích cao thượng đáng được cầu tìm.

Word by Word

• कुरुते: does, performs
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (करोति)
• Form: Lat, Atmanepada, 3, singular

• मूढः: a deluded (man)
• मूढः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

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

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (य)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• श्रेयः: the good, the highest good
• श्रेयः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

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

• अधिगच्छति: attains, reaches
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम्
• Form: Lat, Parasmaipada, 3, singular

• धूपैः: by fumigations/incense
• धूपैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• अञ्जनयोगैः: by applications/mixtures of collyrium
• अञ्जनयोगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जनयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

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

• नस्यकर्मभिः: by nasal therapies/procedures
• नस्यकर्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नस्यकर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, instrumental, plural

• एव: only, merely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A deluded person mistakes external or merely remedial acts for the pursuit of the highest good (śreyaḥ). Without right understanding and proper aim, such actions do not lead to true welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues a didactic passage in the Śānti Parva, characterizing the misguided seeker: instead of pursuing the higher good, he relies on outward treatments (fumigation, collyrium, nasal procedures) and thus fails to attain śreyaḥ.