Shloka 13

अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च

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

Devanagari script

तस्या: प्रमोक्षे यत्नं च कुर्या: सोपायमन्त्रवित्‌ यदि शत्रुकी विपरीत दशा हो और वह संधिके लिये प्रार्थना करे तो संधिविशारद पुरुष उससे उपजाऊ भूमि

Transliteration

tasyāḥ pramokṣe yatnaṃ ca kuryāḥ sopāya-mantra-vit | yadi śatrukī viparīta daśā bhavet sa ca sandheḥ prārthayet tadā sandhi-viśāradaḥ puruṣaḥ tasmād upajāṃ bhūmiṃ suvarṇa-rūpyādi dhātūṃś ca balavantaṃ mitraṃ senāṃ ca gṛhītvā sandhiṃ kuryāt | athavā bharata-śreṣṭha pratidvandvi-rājñaḥ rāja-kumāraṃ svagṛhe jamānatayā sthāpayituṃ ceṣṭeta | viparītaṃ vartanaṃ na śasyate | vatsa yadi kācid āpattir āgacchet tadā yuktôpāya-mantraṇā-jñaḥ tvādṛśo rājā tasmāt pramokṣaṃ yateta || prakṛtīnāṃ ca rājendra rājā dīnān vibhāvayet | rājendra prajā-janeṣu ye dīna-daridrā andha-badhirādayaḥ teṣām api rājā satkāraṃ kuryāt | mahābalī rājā śatroḥ viparīta-krameṇa kramaśaḥ ekataś ca sarvam udyogaṃ ārabheta | sa taṃ pīḍayet tasya gatiṃ avarundhyāt tasya kośaṃ ca nāśayet ||

Translation

持国王劝诫道：当以审慎之谋与切实之策，竭力求得解脱。若敌人陷于不利之境而来乞和，善于权谋外交之士，唯在取得确凿之担保之后方可议和——沃土良田、金银及诸般金属，并有强盟与劲旅为助。或曰：噢婆罗多中之最胜者，当设法将敌国之王子留于己家为质；反其道而行，殊不足取。若有危难骤起，像你这般通晓方略、善于筹议之王，当努力自其中脱身。 他又说：君王亦当眷顾其民；百姓之中，贫困无依者——如盲者、聋者——亦应受敬重与抚恤。至于仇敌，强盛之王当或渐次、或并举，发动全般手段：扰之以苦，遏其行止，毁其府库。

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her/its
• तस्याः: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रमोक्षे: in the release/deliverance
• प्रमोक्षे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमोक्ष (पुं.)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (पुं.)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कुर्याः: you should do/make
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (करणे)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सोपायमन्त्रवित्: one who knows means and counsel
• सोपायमन्त्रवित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय-मन्त्र-वित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• प्रकृतीनाम्: of the subjects/constituents
• प्रकृतीनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (पुं.)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (पुं.)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दीनान्: the poor/distressed
• दीनान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (विशेषण)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विभावयेत्: should consider/honor/show regard to
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-भावय्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

धघतयाट्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bharata (as an epithet: bharata-śreṣṭha)
• enemy (śatru)
• rival king (pratidvandvi-rājā)
• prince (rāja-kumāra)
• subjects/constituents (prajā, prakṛti)
• the poor and disabled (dīna-daridra; andha; badhira)
• fertile land (upajā bhūmi)
• gold and silver (suvarṇa, rūpya)
• metals/minerals (dhātu)
• allies (mitra)
• army (senā)
• treasury (kośa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king should combine prudence with ethics: make treaties only with adequate security when an enemy is weakened, protect and honor the poor among his own people, and when necessary apply decisive pressure on an enemy by restricting movement and crippling finances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra is giving counsel on kingship and policy—how to negotiate peace with a distressed enemy using safeguards, how to care for vulnerable subjects, and how to prosecute hostile action strategically by harassment, blockade, and financial ruin.