Shloka 8

अध्याय २३ — संजयस्योपप्लव्यगमनम् तथा युधिष्ठिरकुशलप्रश्नाः

Sanjaya’s Arrival at Upaplavya and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Welfare Inquiries

Devanagari script

न कामार्थ संत्यजेयूुर्हि धर्म पाण्डो: सुता: सर्व एवेन्द्रकल्पा: । त्वमेवैतत्‌ प्रज्याजातशत्रो समीकुर्या येन शर्मप्नुयुस्ते

Transliteration

na kāmārthaṃ santyajeyur hi dharmaṃ pāṇḍoḥ sutāḥ sarva evendrakalpāḥ | tvam evaitat prajāyā jātśatro samīkuryā yena śarmāpnuyus te ||

Translation

桑阇耶说道：“般度之子们——人人如因陀罗——绝不会为欲望或利益而舍弃法（dharma）。因此，噢，阿阇多沙特鲁，应由你亲自与宗亲促成此和议，使他们得享安宁与福祉。”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• कामार्थम्: for the sake of desire/advantage
• कामार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सन्त्यजेयुः: should abandon
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पाण्डोः: of Pāṇḍu
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: certainly/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• इन्द्रकल्पाः: Indra-like
• इन्द्रकल्पाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रकल्प
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• एव: alone/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रज्य: having considered/after deliberation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रज्य

• जातशत्रो: O Ajātaśatru (one whose enemy is born already / epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातशत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• समीकुर्याः: should arrange/should decide
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ई-कृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• येन: by which/so that
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शर्म: peace, welfare, happiness
• शर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आप्नुयुः: might obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Nominative, Plural

Speaker

सयजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍu
• Pāṇḍavas (sons of Pāṇḍu)
• Indra
• Ajātaśatru

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True nobility is shown by refusing to sacrifice dharma for personal desire (kāma) or advantage (artha). The verse urges responsible leadership: the king should actively pursue a just settlement that secures peace and welfare rather than letting greed and passion drive events toward war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, speaking in the Udyoga Parva context of impending conflict, emphasizes the Pāṇḍavas’ steadfastness in dharma and urges Ajātaśatru (addressed as the king) to arrange a conciliatory resolution with his own side/kinsmen so that peace (śarma) may be achieved.