Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 8

Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 52: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Strength and the Case for Restraint

Devanagari script

दर्शनीयो मनस्वी च लक्ष्मीवान्‌ ब्रह्म॒वर्चसी । मेधावी सुकृतप्रज्ञो धर्मात्मा पाण्डुनन्दन:

Transliteration

darśanīyo manasvī ca lakṣmīvān brahmavarcāsī | medhāvī sukṛtaprajño dharmātmā pāṇḍunandanaḥ ||

Translation

持国王说道：“那位般度之子仪容悦目，胸怀高远；福泽具足，具圣学之光辉。他聪慧明达，凭功德而成就端正的判断，并且笃守达摩。”

Word by Word

• दर्शनीयः: worthy to be seen, handsome
• दर्शनीयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दर्शनीय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनस्वी: high-minded, spirited
• मनस्वी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• लक्ष्मीवान्: fortunate, endowed with prosperity
• लक्ष्मीवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्ष्मीवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मवर्चसी: possessing brahmanical radiance/holy splendor
• ब्रह्मवर्चसी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मवर्चस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मेधावी: intelligent
• मेधावी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेधाविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुकृतप्रज्ञः: of well-formed/good understanding; wise through good deeds
• सुकृतप्रज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुकृतप्रज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled, devoted to dharma
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्डुनन्दनः: son of Pandu (Pandava)
• पाण्डुनन्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Pāṇḍu
• Pāṇḍunandana (a son of Pāṇḍu; a Pāṇḍava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links outward excellence (admirable presence and prosperity) with inner excellence (wisdom, merit-formed discernment, and devotion to dharma), implying that true worth in a prince is measured by righteous character and cultivated intellect, not merely power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes a Pāṇḍava as exemplary—handsome, fortunate, spiritually radiant, intelligent, and dharma-minded—highlighting the recognized virtues of the opposing side even amid rising conflict.