Shloka 52

हंस–साध्यसंवादः, वाक्-निग्रहः, महाकुल-लक्षणम्, शान्ति-उपायः

Hamsa–Sādhya Dialogue; Restraint of Speech; Marks of Noble Lineage; Means to Peace

Devanagari script

बल॑ पञ्चविध॑ नित्यं पुरुषाणां निबोध मे । यत्‌ तु बाहुबलं नाम कनिष्ठं बलमुच्यते

Transliteration

balaṁ pañcavidhaṁ nityaṁ puruṣāṇāṁ nibodha me | yat tu bāhubalaṁ nāma kaniṣṭhaṁ balam ucyate ||

Translation

毗度罗说道：“当从我这里明白：人的力量恒有五种。其中所谓臂力，不过是最低等的力量。”

Word by Word

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पञ्चविधम्: fivefold
• पञ्चविधम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चविध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• पुरुषाणाम्: of men/persons
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• निबोध: understand; know
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + बुध्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: of me; my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but; indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• बाहुबलम्: strength of the arms; physical strength
• बाहुबलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहुबल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: called; by name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम

• कनिष्ठम्: the least; the lowest
• कनिष्ठम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनिष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उच्यते: is said; is called
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Passive (Karmani)

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura ranks types of human power and warns that sheer physical force (bāhubala) is the lowest; true excellence in leadership and conduct depends on higher strengths beyond brute might.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-filled context, Vidura addresses the royal situation and begins a structured teaching on ‘five kinds of strength,’ setting up a moral evaluation of power relevant to impending conflict and governance.