Shloka 18

राजधर्मः—राष्ट्ररक्षणं, दण्डनीतिः, हयग्रीवोपाख्यानम्

Royal Duty: Protection, Penal Policy, and the Hayagrīva Exemplum

Devanagari script

स कि शोचसि मूढ: सन्‌ शोच्यान्‌ किमनुशोचसि । पश्य दु:खेषु दुःखानि भयेषु च भयान्यपि

Transliteration

sa ki śocasi mūḍhaḥ san śocyān kim anuśocasi | paśya duḥkheṣu duḥkhāni bhayeṣu ca bhayāny api ||

Translation

毗耶娑说道：“你既迷妄，为何悲泣？为何一再哀悼那些本就可哀之人？当明见此理：沉溺于哀伤，只会在忧苦之中增添忧苦，在恐惧之中加重恐惧。”

Word by Word

• सः: you/he (that person)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शोचसि: you grieve
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुच्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मूढः: deluded/foolish
• मूढः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सन्: being
• सन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शोच्यान्: those who are to be grieved for / pitiable
• शोच्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोच्य
• Form: यत् (gerundive), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनु: after, again, repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु

• शोचसि: you grieve
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुच्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पश्य: see/observe
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दुःखेषु: in sorrows
• दुःखेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• दुःखानि: sorrows (increase/occur)
• दुःखानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• भयेषु: in fears/dangers
• भयेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

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

• भयानि: fears (increase/occur)
• भयानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Grief that is driven by delusion does not heal; it compounds suffering and amplifies fear. The verse urges clear seeing (paśya) and restraint of repetitive lamentation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vyāsa addresses a grieving listener, rebuking unwise lamentation and pointing out its harmful psychological and ethical consequences.