Shloka 10
Adhyāya 96: Nārada Guides Mātali in Varuṇa’s Realm
Varuṇa-loka Darśana
Devanagari script
न बलं॑ बलिनां मध्ये बलं भवति कौरव । बलवन्तो हि ते सर्वे पाण्डवा देवविक्रमा:
Transliteration
na balaṁ balināṁ madhye balaṁ bhavati kaurava | balavanto hi te sarve pāṇḍavā devavikramāḥ ||
Translation
迦ṇ婆说道：“俱卢之子啊，立于真正强者之间，寻常所谓‘力量’并不算力量。因为那些般度诸子个个皆为雄强——其武威如同诸天。”
Word by Word
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
बलम्strength, power
बलम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबल
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
बलिनाम्of the strong (men)
बलिनाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootबलिन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
मध्येin the midst, among
मध्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमध्य
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
बलम्strength
बलम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबल
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
भवतिis, becomes
भवति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormPresent, Indicative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
कौरवO Kaurava
कौरव:
TypeNoun
Rootकौरव
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
बलवन्तःstrong, powerful
बलवन्तः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबलवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas
पाण्डवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
देवविक्रमाःof godlike valor
देवविक्रमाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootदेवविक्रम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
कण्व उवाच
Characters & Entities
क
कण्व (Kaṇva)क
कौरव (Kaurava—addressed person, traditionally Duryodhana)प
पाण्डव (Pāṇḍavas)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Strength is relative and must be judged realistically; pride in one’s own power is folly when facing genuinely superior warriors. The verse urges sober assessment and humility in political and military decisions.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Kaṇva addresses a Kaurava leader (commonly understood as Duryodhana), warning him not to overestimate Kaurava power, since the Pāṇḍavas are all formidable, with godlike prowess.