Shloka 16
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma
Devanagari script
कृत्वा मानुष्यकं कर्म सृत्वाजिं यावदुत्तमम् । धर्मस्यानृण्यमाप्रोति न चात्मानं विगर्हते
Transliteration
kṛtvā mānuṣyakaṃ karma sṛtvājiṃ yāvad uttamam | dharmasyānṛṇyam āpnoti na cātmānaṃ vigarhate ||
Translation
既已行尽为人之本分——入于战阵，竭尽其力，显出至高的男儿之功——英雄便能偿清对法（dharma）所负之债，而不致自责自辱。
Word by Word
कृत्वाhaving done
कृत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), कर्तरि
मानुष्यकम्human (befitting a man)
मानुष्यकम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमानुष्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
कर्मdeed, act
कर्म:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सृत्वाhaving gone/advanced (having proceeded)
सृत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootसृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), कर्तरि
अजिंbattle, combat
अजिं:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअजि (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
यावत्as much as; as far as
यावत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
Formपरिमाण/सीमा (as far as, as much as)
उत्तमम्best, excellent
उत्तमम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
धर्मस्यof dharma; of duty/righteousness
धर्मस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
अनृण्यम्freedom from debt; discharge (of obligation)
अनृण्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअनृण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आप्नोतिattains, obtains
आप्नोति:
TypeVerb
Rootआप् (धातु)
FormPresent, Indicative, Third, Singular, परस्मैपद
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formnegation
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formconjunction
आत्मानम्oneself
आत्मानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
विगर्हतेblames/censures (himself); feels self-reproach
विगर्हते:
TypeVerb
Rootगर्ह् (धातु) उपसर्ग: वि
FormPresent, Indicative, Third, Singular, आत्मनेपद
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
Vāyudeva (speaker)Ā
āji (battle)Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
One should perform one’s rightful human duty with full effort; by acting up to one’s capacity in a righteous cause, a person becomes free of obligation to dharma and avoids the inner stain of self-reproach.
Vāyudeva is instructing about the ethical value of courageous action in battle: a hero who enters combat and strives to the utmost fulfills dharma’s claim upon him and preserves his honor and self-respect.