Shloka 103

अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च

Chapter 6: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Appeal and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Resolve for the Forest

Devanagari script

हिरण्यं कुप्य भूयिष्ठं मित्र क्षीणमथो बलम्‌ | भारत! यदि अपनी विपरीत अवस्था हो तो शत्रुको कम उपजाऊ भूमि

Transliteration

hiraṇyaṁ kupya-bhūyiṣṭhaṁ mitra-kṣīṇam atho balam | bhārata! yadi āpannā viparītāvasthā bhavet tadā śatrave alpāṁ sasyavatīṁ bhūmiṁ kiñcid hiraṇyaṁ ca bahu kupyaṁ (yathā yasta-pītala-ādi dhātavaḥ) durbalaṁ mitraṁ senāṁ ca dattvā tena saha sandhiṁ kuryāt ||

Translation

持国王曰：“噢婆罗多之后裔，当自身境况转为不利、资财日渐匮乏之时，亦当与敌求和，所让者当取其损害最小：贫瘠之地一隅，少许黄金，而以锌、黄铜等贱金属多与之，并连同衰弱之盟友与减损之兵力一并交付。其伦理旨趣在于务实：形势所迫时，舍可舍之物，以保性命与国之核心力量。”

Word by Word

• हिरण्यम्: gold
• हिरण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुप्यम्: base metals/metal goods (copper, brass etc.)
• कुप्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुप्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भूयिष्ठम्: very much, in greater quantity
• भूयिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूयिष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मित्र: O friend
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: Neuter, Vocative, Singular

• क्षीणम्: diminished, weakened
• क्षीणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: and then/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• बलम्: strength; army
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

धघतयाट्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhārata (addressee, typically Yudhiṣṭhira)
• śatru (enemy)
• hiraṇya (gold)
• kupya (base metals such as zinc, brass)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When fortune turns against you, dharma-informed prudence recommends preserving what is essential by making peace through concessions of expendable resources—less fertile land, a little gold, and more base metals—rather than risking total ruin through stubborn conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra is giving counsel in a political-ethical register, outlining how a ruler should negotiate a treaty (sandhi) with an enemy during a crisis, emphasizing strategic concessions to secure stability.