Shloka 20
धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas
Devanagari script
एवं त्वया कुरुश्रेष्ठ वर्तितव्यं प्रजाहितम् । उभयोर्लोकयोस्तात प्राप्तये नित्यमेव हि
Transliteration
evaṁ tvayā kuruśreṣṭha vartitavyaṁ prajāhitam | ubhayor lokayos tāta prāptaye nityam eva hi ||
Translation
持国王说道：“库鲁族中最卓越者啊，你当以利民为本而行。因为，爱子啊，唯有恒常致力于臣民之福祉，方能在两界——此世与彼世——同得安乐。”
Word by Word
एवम्thus, in this manner
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
त्वयाby you
त्वया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootत्वद्
Formmasculine, instrumental, singular
कुरुश्रेष्ठO best of the Kurus
कुरुश्रेष्ठ:
TypeNoun
Rootकुरु-श्रेष्ठ
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
वर्तितव्यम्should be conducted / must be done
वर्तितव्यम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
Formतव्यत् (gerundive), neuter, nominative, singular, passive-necessitative
प्रजाहितम्beneficial to the subjects
प्रजाहितम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रजा-हित
Formneuter, nominative, singular
उभयोःof both
उभयोः:
TypeAdjective
Rootउभ
Formmasculine/neuter, genitive, dual
लोकयोःof the two worlds
लोकयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootलोक
Formmasculine, genitive, dual
तातO dear one / O son
तात:
TypeNoun
Rootतात
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
प्राप्तयेfor the attainment
प्राप्तये:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootप्राप्ति
Formfeminine, dative, singular
नित्यम्always
नित्यम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्य
एवindeed, certainly
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
हिfor, indeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
तातO dear one
तात:
TypeNoun
Rootतात
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
Speaker
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Characters & Entities
D
DhṛtarāṣṭraK
Kuruśreṣṭha (addressed person, ‘best of the Kurus’)P
prajā (the subjects/people)U
ubhau lokau (this world and the next)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
A ruler or leader should remain steadily engaged in actions that benefit the people; such public-spirited conduct is presented as the means to secure good in both this life and the next.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses a Kuru leader with counsel, urging sustained commitment to the welfare of the subjects as the proper standard of conduct and as a path to auspicious results in both worlds.