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Shloka 35

अध्याय २९ — वासुदेव–संजय संवादः

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance

कच्चिद्‌ वृत्तिं श्वशुरेषु भद्रा: कल्याणी वर्तध्वमनृशंसरूपाम्‌ । यथा च व: स्यु: पतयो5नुकूला- स्तथा वृत्तिमात्मन: स्थापयध्वम्‌

kaccid vṛttiṁ śvaśureṣu bhadrāḥ kalyāṇī vartadhvam anṛśaṁsarūpām | yathā ca vaḥ syuḥ patayo'nukūlāḥ tathā vṛttim ātmanaḥ sthāpayadhvam, tāta sañjaya ||

Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Các phu nhân cao quý ấy có cư xử đúng mực trước các bậc cha chồng, giữ nếp sống hiền hòa, không hà khắc chăng? Và họ có tự lập nên cách hành xử của mình sao cho các phu quân luôn thuận lòng, thiện cảm đối với họ chăng? Sañjaya thân mến, xin hãy hỏi thăm an lành của họ.”

कच्चित्whether (indeed)?
कच्चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकच्चित्
वृत्तिम्conduct, behavior
वृत्तिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवृत्ति
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
श्वशुरेषुtowards/among the fathers-in-law (in-laws)
श्वशुरेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootश्वशुर
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
भद्राःgood/auspicious ladies
भद्राः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootभद्र
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
कल्याणीbeneficial, auspicious
कल्याणी:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootकल्याणी
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
वर्तध्वम्do you conduct yourselves?/are you behaving?
वर्तध्वम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormImperative, Second, Plural, Atmanepada
अनृशंसरूपाम्having the form of non-cruelty; gentle in nature
अनृशंसरूपाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअनृशंसरूप
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
यथाas, in such a way that
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
वःof you (your)
वः:
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Plural
स्युःmay be, might be
स्युः:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormOptative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
पतयःhusbands
पतयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अनुकूलाःfavorable, well-disposed
अनुकूलाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअनुकूल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तथाso, thus
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
वृत्तिम्conduct, behavior
वृत्तिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवृत्ति
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
आत्मनःof oneself, in your own heart/self
आत्मनः:
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
स्थापयध्वम्place/establish (for yourselves)
स्थापयध्वम्:
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (णिच्)
FormImperative, Second, Plural, Atmanepada
तातdear (sir/son)
तात:
TypeNoun
Rootतात
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
संजयO Sañjaya
संजय:
TypeNoun
Rootसंजय
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
S
Sañjaya
W
wives/daughters-in-law (bhadrāḥ)
F
fathers-in-law (śvaśura)
H
husbands (patayaḥ)

Educational Q&A

The verse emphasizes dharmic household conduct: gentleness and non-cruelty toward elders in the marital home, and self-regulated behavior that sustains harmony between spouses and within the extended family.

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war diplomacy setting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Sañjaya with a welfare inquiry, asking him to check on the noble women in their in-laws’ households and whether they live safely and harmoniously.