Shloka 7

Vidurā–Putra Saṃvāda: Utsāha, Kīrti, and Kṣātra Resolve

Udyoga-parva 131

Devanagari script

अड्जवेक्षस्व धर्म त्वं यथा सृष्ट: स्वयम्भुवा । बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रिया: सृष्टा बाहुवीयोपजीविन:

Transliteration

adya vekṣasva dharma tvaṃ yathā sṛṣṭaḥ svayambhuvā | bāhubhyāṃ kṣatriyāḥ sṛṣṭā bāhuvīryopajīvinaḥ ||

Translation

Giờ đây, hãy nhìn vào dharma của ngươi như đã được Đấng Tự Sinh an bài. Từ đôi cánh tay của Ngài, giai cấp Kṣatriya được sinh ra; bởi vậy, một Kṣatriya sống nhờ sức mạnh và dũng khí của chính đôi tay mình.

Word by Word

• अड्जवेक्षस्व: look (consider)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अड्जवेक्षस्व (पाठभेद/अशुद्धपाठ; सम्भाव्य: अनु+अवेक्षस्व)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, आत्मनेपद

• धर्मम्: duty, dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: nominative, singular

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• सृष्टः: created, ordained
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• स्वयम्भुवा: by the Self-born (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भुवा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• बाहुभ्याम्: with (his) two arms
• बाहुभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: masculine, instrumental, dual

• क्षत्रियाः: Kshatriyas
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सृष्टाः: created
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), masculine, nominative, plural

• बाहुवीर्योपजीविनः: living by the strength of (their) arms
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाहुवीर्योपजीविन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse grounds Kṣatriya-dharma in cosmic/social design: a warrior’s rightful livelihood and responsibility are tied to protecting order through strength and courage, not through occupations associated with other varṇas.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva exhorts the listener to reflect on their ordained duty, invoking Brahmā (Svayambhū) as authority: since Kṣatriyas are said to be created from the Creator’s arms, they are expected to live by martial prowess—an argument used in counsel during the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations.