Shloka 7

Nakula’s Adaptive Counsel to Kṛṣṇa in the Kuru Assembly (उद्योगपर्व, अध्याय ७८)

Devanagari script

तथापि बुद्धि पापिष्ठां वर्धयन्त्यस्य मन्त्रिण:

Transliteration

tathāpi buddhiṁ pāpiṣṭhāṁ vardhayanty asya mantriṇaḥ

Translation

Dẫu vậy, các mưu thần của hắn vẫn không ngừng kích động ý chí tội lỗi nhất của hắn—làm cho chính ý định ấy thêm vững, ý định càng đẩy hắn xa rời chính pháp.

Word by Word

तथाthus, in that manner

अपिalso, even, nevertheless

बुद्धिम्understanding, counsel, intention

पापिष्ठाम्most sinful, very wicked

वर्धयन्तिthey increase, they augment

अस्यof him, his

मन्त्रिणःministers, counsellors

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

his counsellors (mantriṇaḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Unrighteous outcomes often arise not only from a leader’s weakness but from advisers who reinforce harmful intentions. Ethical counsel should restrain wrongdoing, not amplify it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna comments on a ruler’s deteriorating moral judgment, noting that the ruler’s ministers are actively encouraging and strengthening his sinful resolve—an observation that frames the political-ethical tensions leading toward conflict.