Shloka 22

सौप्तिकपर्व — धृष्टद्युम्नसारथिवृत्तान्तः

Report of the Night Raid and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament

Devanagari script

न हि प्रमत्तेन नरेण शक्‍्यं विद्या तप: श्रीविंपुलं यशो वा । पश्याप्रमादेन निहत्य शत्रून्‌ सर्वान्‌ महेन्द्र सुखमेधमानम्‌

Transliteration

na hi pramattena nareṇa śakyaṃ vidyā tapaḥ śrī-vipulaṃ yaśo vā | paśyāpramādena nihatya śatrūn sarvān mahendraḥ sukham edhamānam ||

Translation

疏忽之人，终不能真正获得学识、苦行、丰厚的富贵或崇高的名声。且看摩诃因陀罗（因陀罗）：正因摒弃怠慢，歼灭一切仇敌，他才得以安乐而昌盛，步步上升。

Word by Word

• {'na hi': 'indeed not

• certainly not', 'pramatta': 'careless, negligent, intoxicated with heedlessness', 'nareṇa': 'by/for a man (instrumental of nara)', 'śakyam': 'possible, feasible', 'vidyā': 'knowledge, learning', 'tapaḥ': 'austerity, disciplined effort', 'śrī': 'fortune, prosperity, splendor', 'vipulam': 'abundant, extensive', 'yaśaḥ': 'fame, renown', 'paśya': 'see! behold! (imperative)', 'apramādena': 'by vigilance

• through freedom from negligence', 'nihatya': 'having slain, having destroyed', 'śatrūn': 'enemies (accusative plural)', 'sarvān': 'all (of them)', 'mahendraḥ': 'Mahendra, Indra (king of the gods)', 'sukham': 'happiness, ease', 'edhamānam': 'flourishing, increasing, prospering'}

Speaker

सूत उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Mahendra (Indra)
• enemies (śatravaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that negligence (pramāda) blocks higher attainments—learning, austerity, prosperity, and fame—whereas vigilance (apramāda) enables success. Indra is cited as an exemplar: by remaining alert and resolute, he overcomes enemies and continues to prosper.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Sūta addresses the listeners with a moral observation drawn from epic exempla. He contrasts the failure of the careless person with Indra’s success, using Indra’s victory over his foes as a narrative illustration to urge alertness and disciplined conduct amid the unfolding war context.