Shloka 5

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Saṃvāda on Restraint and Rājānīti

Chapter 50

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच शृणु मे विस्तरेणेमां कथां भारतसत्तम । भूय एव महाराज यदि ते श्रवणे मति:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | śṛṇu me vistareṇemāṃ kathāṃ bhāratasattama | bhūya eva mahārāja yadi te śravaṇe matiḥ ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“噢，婆罗多族中之最胜者！噢，大王！若你心意仍欲聆听，便再听此一故事；如今我将更为详尽地叙说。”

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शृणु: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• विस्तरेण: in detail / with elaboration
• विस्तरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कथाम्: story, narrative
• कथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भारत-सत्तम: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत + सत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भूयः: again, further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महा-राज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• ते: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• श्रवणे: in listening / in hearing
• श्रवणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मतिः: inclination, mind, intent
• मतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya (implied by mahārāja and context)
• Bhārata lineage (Bhāratas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical value of attentive listening (śravaṇa) and the responsible transmission of tradition: a worthy listener invites a fuller, more careful telling, and the narrator responds by expanding the account for clarity and completeness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses King Janamejaya, confirming the king’s continued interest and readiness to hear more, and announces that he will retell or continue the story in greater detail.