Ashramavasika Parva Adhyaya 5 Shloka 18 - Mahabharata | Chinese | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 18

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

पुरुषैरलमर्थस्ते विदितैः कुलशीलत: । आत्मा च रक्ष्य: सततं भोजनादिषु भारत

Transliteration

puruṣair alam arthas te viditaiḥ kulaśīlataḥ | ātmā ca rakṣyaḥ satataṃ bhojanādiṣu bhārata ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“噢，婆罗多啊，你当只任用那些家世与品行皆已明了之人。并且在用膳等日常时刻，务必常怀警觉，护持自身。”

Word by Word

पुरुषैःby/with men

अलम्enough; sufficient; (used with instr.) one should deal with

अर्थःneed; business; purpose

तेto you/for you

विदितैःwith those who are known

कुलशीलतःfrom (their) family and conduct; as regards lineage and character

आत्माself; person (oneself)

चand

रक्ष्यःto be protected; should be guarded

सततम्always; continually

भोजनादिषुin eating and the like; on occasions such as meals

भारतO Bharata

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhārata

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?

Rely only on trustworthy people whose lineage and character are verified, and maintain constant vigilance for personal safety—especially in vulnerable moments like meals—so that duty and life are not endangered by negligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana delivers a cautionary instruction to “Bhārata,” advising careful selection of attendants and continual self-guarding in everyday situations, reflecting the tense, security-conscious atmosphere of the later Mahābhārata narrative.