Shloka 9

Adhyāya 96: Nārada Guides Mātali in Varuṇa’s Realm

Varuṇa-loka Darśana

Devanagari script

बलवानहमित्येव न मन्तव्यं सुयोधन । बलवन्तो बलिभ्यो हि दृश्यन्ते पुरुषर्षभ

Transliteration

balavān aham ity eva na mantavyaṃ suyodhana | balavanto balibhyo hi dṛśyante puruṣarṣabha ||

Translation

迦ṇ婆说道：“苏由陀那啊，你不该自念：‘唯我强盛。’人中雄牛啊，强者之中尚有更强者。因此，莫以恃力之傲为导；当知权势有其边界，以克制与明断而行。”

Word by Word

• बलवान्: strong, powerful
• बलवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus, saying
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

• मन्तव्यम्: should be thought/considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: तव्यत्, Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Passive/Obligative

• सुयोधन: O Suyodhana (Duryodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुयोधन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• बलवन्तः: strong (men)
• बलवन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बलिभ्यः: than the strong (from the strong)
• बलिभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

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

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen, are found
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Passive, Third, Plural

• पुरुषर्षभ: O bull among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुरुषरत्न: O jewel among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषरत्न
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सुयोधन: O Suyodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुयोधन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

कण्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kaṇva
• Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not become arrogant about one’s own strength; in the world there are always those stronger. Ethical action requires humility, realistic self-assessment, and restraint rather than pride-driven decisions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kaṇva addresses Suyodhana (Duryodhana) with admonitory counsel, warning him against overconfidence and reminding him that power is relative—an implicit check on rashness in the tense pre-war context of the Udyoga Parva.