Shloka 15

Devanagari script

किमस्माकं भवेच्छेय: कि कार्यमवशिष्यते । कथं च सुकृतं तत्‌ स्यान्मन्त्रयामोड्द्य यद्धितम्‌,“मित्रो! क्या करनेसे हमलोगोंकी भलाई होगी? हमारे लिये कौन-सा कार्य शेष रह गया है? कैसे करनेसे हमारा कार्य शुभ परिणामजनक होगा? क्या करनेमें हमारा हित है? आज इसी विषयपर हमलोगोंको विचार करना है'

Transliteration

kim asmākaṁ bhavec chreyaḥ? kiṁ kāryam avaśiṣyate? kathaṁ ca sukṛtaṁ tat syān? mantrayāmaḥ adya yad dhitam.

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说：“何道方能成就我等真正的福祉？尚有何事须我等完成？当以何法使此举措施行得当，并结吉祥之果？究竟何者于我等有利？今日当共议我等真正的利益所在。”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'kim', 'definition': 'what?'}, {'term': 'asmākam', 'definition': 'of us

• for us'}, {'term': 'bhavet', 'definition': 'may be

• would become'}, {'term': 'śreyaḥ', 'definition': 'the better good

• what is truly beneficial (as opposed to merely pleasant)'}, {'term': 'kāryam', 'definition': 'a task to be done

• necessary action'}, {'term': 'avaśiṣyate', 'definition': 'remains

• is left over'}, {'term': 'katham', 'definition': 'how? in what way?'}, {'term': 'sukṛtam', 'definition': 'well done

• well-executed'}, {'term': 'tat', 'definition': 'that (task/undertaking)'}, {'term': 'syāt', 'definition': 'may be

• would be'}, {'term': 'mantrayāmaḥ', 'definition': 'let us consult

• let us deliberate (together)'}, {'term': 'adya', 'definition': 'today

• now'}, {'term': 'yad', 'definition': 'that which

• whatever'}, {'term': 'hitam', 'definition': 'beneficial

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical decision-making as a collective inquiry: identify śreyas (the higher good), clarify what duty remains, and choose the manner of action that makes the outcome auspicious. It emphasizes thoughtful counsel (mantra) over impulsive action.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator introduces a moment of consultation: the speakers (implied as a group) pause to assess their situation—what remains to be done and what course will truly benefit them—before proceeding with action.