Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 42

Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya

Devanagari script

ततो मुहूर्तादथ धर्मराजो वाक्यानि तेषामनुचिन्त्य सम्यक्‌ । उवाच वाचावितथं स्मयन्‌ वै लब्धश्रुतां धर्मभूृतां वरिष्ठ:

Transliteration

tato muhūrtād atha dharmarājo vākyāni teṣām anucintya samyak | uvāca vācāvitathaṁ smayan vai labdhaśrutāṁ dharmabhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ ||

Translation

“Rồi sau một lúc, vị vua của Dharma—sau khi suy ngẫm kỹ những lời họ nói—mỉm cười và cất lời chân thật. Yudhiṣṭhira, bậc đứng đầu trong hàng người công chính, kẻ từng thọ giáo về dharma từ các bậc đại nhân, nay đưa ra lời đáp đã cân nhắc.”

Word by Word

• {'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'muhūrtāt': 'after a short time

• after a muhūrta (a brief interval)', 'atha': 'then

• now (transition marker)', 'dharmarājaḥ': 'the King of Dharma

• Yudhiṣṭhira', 'vākyāni': 'words, statements', 'teṣām': 'of them (the earlier speakers)', 'anucintya': 'having reflected upon

• having considered', 'samyak': 'properly, thoroughly, rightly', 'uvāca': 'said, spoke', 'vācā': 'with speech

• by words', 'avitatham': 'not false

• accurate', 'smayan': 'smiling', 'vai': 'indeed (emphatic particle)', 'labdhaśrutām': 'one who has obtained learning/hearing

• instructed (especially by the wise)', 'dharmabhṛtām': 'of those who uphold dharma

• of the righteous', 'variṣṭhaḥ': 'the best, foremost'}

Speaker

भीमयेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A righteous leader should not respond impulsively: he should listen to dharmic counsel, reflect carefully, and then speak truthfully and appropriately. The verse highlights thoughtful deliberation (anucintya samyak) joined with truthfulness (avitatham) as marks of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing earlier speakers expound dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira pauses for a short time to consider their words. Then, smiling, he begins his reply—presented as a truthful and well-considered statement from the foremost upholder of dharma.