Shloka 6

धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत आश्रमवासिकपवके अन्तर्गत आश्रमवासपर्वमें धृतराष्रका उपदेशविषयक छठा अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

utsāha-prabhu-śaktibhyāṁ mantra-śaktyā ca bhārata | upapanno nṛpo yāyād viparītaṁ ca varjayet ||

Translation

持国王告诫：君王唯有在三种权力支柱上胜过敌人时，方可发动进攻——其一为自身的精进与决断，其二为君权所具的资财与威势，其三为谋臣之议与政略所成的战略之力。若无此等优势，便当连进攻之念也一并断绝；因为缺乏足够力量与指引的行动只会招致覆亡，有违谨慎的王道。

Word by Word

• utsāha-prabhu-śaktibhyām: by (means of) enthusiasm and lordly power
• utsāha-prabhu-śaktibhyām: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: utsāha + prabhuśakti
• Form: feminine, instrumental, dual

• mantra-śaktyā: by counsel/strategy power
• mantra-śaktyā: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantraśakti
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

• bhārata: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• upapannaḥ: endowed, possessed (of)
• upapannaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upapanna
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• nṛpaḥ: the king
• nṛpaḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• yāyāt: should go/should march (to attack)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (dhātu)
• Form: optative (vidhiliṅ), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• viparītam: the opposite (condition)
• viparītam: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viparīta
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

• varjayet: should avoid/should refrain from
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛj/varj (dhātu)
• Form: optative (vidhiliṅ), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

धघतयाट्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhārata (addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should wage war only when he has superior (1) personal resolve and initiative (utsāha), (2) sovereign resources and authority (prabhu-śakti), and (3) strategic counsel and policy (mantra-śakti). If these are lacking, restraint is the ethical and prudent course.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Ashramavāsika context, Dhṛtarāṣṭra delivers counsel on kingship and conduct, emphasizing measured decision-making in warfare: attack only from a position of clear strength and sound counsel, otherwise avoid aggression.