Shloka 52

Adhyāya 128 — Proposal to Restrain Keśava; Sātyaki’s Warning and Vidura–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Counsel

Devanagari script

समं हि राज्यं प्रीतिश्व स्थानं हि विदितात्मनाम्‌ । पाण्डवेष्वथ युष्मासु धर्मस्त्वभ्यधिकस्तत:

Transliteration

samam hi rājyaṁ prītiś ca sthānaṁ hi viditātmanām | pāṇḍaveṣv atha yuṣmāsu dharmas tv abhyadhikas tataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Với những bậc tự tri ấy, vương quốc ở trong tay Pāṇḍava hay trong tay các ngươi cũng đều như nhau; trong lòng họ, sự kính trọng và chỗ đứng dành cho cả hai phía là ngang bằng. Nhưng vượt lên trên cả vương quyền, họ coi dharma là điều trọng yếu hơn.”

Word by Word

• {'samam': 'equal, the same', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'rājyam': 'kingdom, sovereignty', 'prītiḥ': 'affection, goodwill', 'ca': 'and', 'sthānam': 'place, standing, position (in one’s regard)', 'viditātmanām': 'of those who know the Self

• self-realized persons', 'pāṇḍaveṣu': 'among/with the Pāṇḍavas', 'atha': 'and then

• moreover', 'yuṣmāsu': 'among/with you (the Kaurava side addressed)', 'dharmaḥ': 'dharma

• righteousness, moral law, duty', 'tu': 'but, however', 'abhyadhikaḥ': 'superior, greater, higher', 'tataḥ': 'than that

• therefore (contextually: than the kingdom)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Kauravas (implied by 'yuṣmāsu')
• rājya (kingdom)
• dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those established in self-knowledge remain impartial regarding political gain; for them, sovereignty is secondary, while dharma is the highest criterion guiding judgment and allegiance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Vaiśampāyana explains that certain wise, self-realized figures do not favor either the Pāṇḍavas or the opposing party for the sake of power; they value both equally in affection, yet prioritize dharma above the question of who rules.