Shloka 43

Dharma-śaṅkā-nivāraṇa: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Response on Karma-Phala and Trust in Dharma

Devanagari script

अनर्था: संशयावस्था: सिद्धयन्ते मुक्तसंशया: । धीरा नरा: कर्मरता ननु नि:संशया: क्वचित्‌,कर्मका फल होगा या नहीं, इस संशयमें पड़े हुए मनुष्य अर्थसिद्धिसे वंचित रह जाते हैं और जो संशयरहित हैं, उन्हें सिद्धि प्राप्त होती है। कर्मपरायण और संशयरहित धीर मनुष्य निश्चय ही कहीं बिरले देखे जाते हैं

Transliteration

anarthāḥ saṁśayāvasthāḥ siddhyante muktasaṁśayāḥ | dhīrā narāḥ karmaratā nanu niḥsaṁśayāḥ kvacit ||

Translation

玉提湿陀罗说道：困于疑惧之境者，终致不利，失却成就；而脱离疑惧者，则得圆满。然心志沉稳、专注于行、真正毫不踌躇之人，世间实属罕见。

Word by Word

अनर्थाःthe unsuccessful/fruitless (persons)

संशयावस्थाःthose in a state of doubt

सिद्धयन्तेsucceed / attain success

मुक्तसंशयाःfreed from doubt

धीराःsteadfast, wise

नराःmen, people

कर्मरताःengaged in action

ननुindeed, surely (emphatic particle)

निःसंशयाःfree from doubt

क्वचित्somewhere; ever/at any time (rarely)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

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

What is the core teaching?

Doubt and indecision obstruct achievement and invite harm, whereas clarity and freedom from doubt support success; however, the ideal person who is both steady and actively dutiful without inner hesitation is rare.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vana Parva dialogue context, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on human conduct and the difficulty of acting rightly: he contrasts the paralysis of doubt with the effectiveness of resolute action, highlighting a moral-psychological obstacle to dharmic living.