Shloka 97

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

एवं विवदमानोौ स्वस्त्वामिहा भ्यागतौ नृप । कुरु धर्ममधर्म वा विनये नौ समादध

Transliteration

evaṁ vivadamānau svaḥ tvām iha abhyāgatau nṛpa | kuru dharmam adharmam vā vinaye nau samādadhāḥ nareśvara ||

Translation

“大王啊，我二人争辩不休，遂来至此，投于王前。请王裁决此案——或依达摩而断，甚至不依亦可。人主啊，愿王了结此争，使我二人同归正当裁断与法度之道。”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• विवदमानौ: disputing (the two of us)
• विवदमानौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विवद् (धातु: वद्) / विवदमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• स्वः: to heaven / in heaven
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वः

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• अभ्यागतौ: having come / arrived (we two)
• अभ्यागतौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आ-गम् (धातु: गम्) / अभ्यागत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुरु: do / decide
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धर्मम्: justice / right
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अधर्मम्: injustice / wrong
• अधर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• विनये: in discipline / in proper conduct
• विनये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नौ: us two
• नौ: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Dual

• समादध: set (us) / place (us) / establish (us)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु: धा)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

विरूप उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Virūpa
• nṛpa (king)
• nareśvara (lord of men)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the king’s role as arbiter: social conflict is brought to royal authority for settlement, and the ethical ideal is to place disputants on the path of vinaya—orderly, principled resolution aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two parties are quarrelling and approach the king, asking him to decide their case and end the dispute, explicitly urging him to deliver a definitive judgment and restore proper conduct.