Mahabharata · 1.214.3–4
॥
Devanāgarī
स समं धर्मकामार्थान् सिषेवे भरतर्षभः ॥
त्रीन् इवात्मसमान् बन्धून् बन्धुमान् इव मानयन् ॥
तेषां समविभक्तानां क्षितौ देहवताम् इव ॥
बभौ धर्मार्थकामानां चतुर्थ इव पार्थिवः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sa samaṃ dharmakāmārthān siṣeve bharatarṣabhaḥ ||
trīn ivātmasamān bandhūn bandhumān iva mānayan ||
teṣāṃ samavibhaktānāṃ kṣitau dehavatām iva ||
babhau dharmārthakāmānāṃ caturtha iva pārthivaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सः समं धर्मकामार्थान् सिषेवे भरतर्षभःsaḥ samaṃ dharmakāmārthān siṣeve bharatarṣabhaḥhe served dharma, kama, and artha equally, the bull of the Bharatas,
त्रीन् इव आत्मसमान् बन्धून् बन्धुमान् इव मानयन्trīn iva ātmasamān bandhūn bandhumān iva mānayanhonoring them as three kinsmen equal to himself, like a fortunate man of good family;
तेषां समविभक्तानां क्षितौ देहवताम् इवteṣāṃ samavibhaktānāṃ kṣitau dehavatām ivaamong them, equally divided, as it were embodied, on earth
बभौ धर्मार्थकामानां चतुर्थः इव पार्थिवःbabhau dharmārthakāmānāṃ caturthaḥ iva pārthivaḥthe king shone, as if a fourth amid dharma, artha, and kama;
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
इवात्मसमान्ivātmasamānoriginal form "ivātmasamān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चतुर्थcaturthaoriginal form "caturtha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"He served dharma, kama, and artha equally, the bull of the Bharatas, honoring them as three kinsmen equal to himself, like a fortunate man of good family; among them, equally divided, as if embodied, on earth the king shone, as a fourth amid dharma, artha, and kama."
Version
bb2357eceaeb · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the balance of the three aims of life reveals itself. It is telling that Yudhishthira serves dharma, artha, and kama "equally," neglecting none yet letting none prevail: the wise ruler keeps the measure between piety, gain, and pleasure. Here is the ideal, where dharma guides the other aims. Thus scripture reveals the equanimity of Yudhishthira; and he himself stands as a living fourth amid the three aims.