Shloka 13

Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)

Devanagari script

समीक्ष्य तुलया पार्थ काम॑ स्वर्ग च भारत | अयं पन्था महर्षीणामियं लोकविदां गति:

Transliteration

samīkṣya tulayā pārtha kāmaṁ svargaṁ ca bhārata | ayaṁ panthā maharṣīṇām iyaṁ lokavidāṁ gatiḥ ||

Translation

那俱罗说道：“噢，帕尔塔，噢，婆罗多——将欲望与天界置于天平之上衡量之后，这便是大圣仙们的道路；这便是洞悉世间真相者所奉行的归趋。”

Word by Word

• समीक्ष्य: having examined/considered
• समीक्ष्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ईक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), कर्तरि, absolutive (gerund)

• तुलया: by a balance; by weighing
• तुलया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कामम्: desire; pleasure
• कामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• भारत: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पन्थाः: path; way
• पन्थाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्था
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महर्षीणाम्: of the great seers
• महर्षीणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकविदाम्: of the knowers of the worlds
• लोकविदाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकविद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• गतिः: course; goal; way
• गतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Bhārata (Bharata-lineage addressee)
• Svarga (heaven)
• Maharṣis (great seers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should critically weigh worldly desire (kāma) and even heavenly reward (svarga) and choose the higher path endorsed by sages—conduct grounded in wisdom rather than in craving or reward-seeking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula addresses a Bharata prince (explicitly calling him Pārtha and Bhārata) and affirms that, after deliberate evaluation, the way being indicated aligns with the tradition of great seers and the insight of those who understand the world.