Shloka 12

अध्याय ९ — धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति राजनित्युपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Royal Policy to Yudhiṣṭhira

Devanagari script

अनुमान्य महाराजं तत्‌ सद: सम्प्रसाद्य च । विप्र: प्रगल्भो मेधावी स राजानमुवाच ह

Transliteration

anumānya mahārājaṃ tat sadaḥ samprasādya ca | vipraḥ pragalbho medhāvī sa rājānam uvāca ha ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：他先依礼敬奉大王，使满座欢悦；随后，一位胆识无惧、明辨通达的婆罗门便向君主进言。此景凸显劝谏之伦理礼法：敬重权威，善意相待在座长老，并以学识为根基而无畏直言。

Word by Word

• अनुमान्य: having obtained approval / after taking leave
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu√man (अनु + √मन्) → अनुमन्य (gerundive/absolutive usage as ktvā-anta in sense of 'having obtained consent')
• Form: Absolutive (avyaya-kriyāviśeṣaṇa), indeclinable

• महाराजम्: the great king
• महाराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• तत्: then / thereupon
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular (adverbial: 'then/thereupon')

• सदः: the assembly / court
• सदः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस्
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• सम्प्रसाद्य: having pleased / having gratified
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र√सद् (प्रसादयति) → सम्प्रसाद्य
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā/lyap), indeclinable

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Particle

• विप्रः: the brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रगल्भः: bold / confident
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रगल्भ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• मेधावी: intelligent / wise
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेधाविन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• सः: he
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• उवाच: said / spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच्
• Form: Perfect (liṭ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• ह: indeed / surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह
• Form: Particle (emphasis/reminiscence)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• mahārāja (the king)
• sadaḥ (assembly)
• vipra (a brāhmaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True counsel is offered with three virtues: honoring the ruler (respect), pleasing the assembly (social harmony), and speaking boldly with intelligence (fearless truth grounded in learning).

What is happening in the narrative?

A learned brāhmaṇa, after paying respects to the king and winning the goodwill of the assembled court, prepares to speak and then addresses the king.