Mahabharata · 1.214.10–11
॥
Devanāgarī
न तु केवलदैवेन प्रजा भावेन रेमिरे ॥
यद् बभूव मनःकान्तं कर्मणा स चकार तत् ॥
न ह्य् अयुक्तं न चासत्यं नानृतं न च विप्रियम् ॥
भाषितं चारुभाषस्य जज्ञे पार्थस्य धीमतः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na tu kevaladaivena prajā bhāvena remire ||
yad babhūva manaḥkāntaṃ karmaṇā sa cakāra tat ||
na hy ayuktaṃ na cāsatyaṃ nānṛtaṃ na ca vipriyam ||
bhāṣitaṃ cārubhāṣasya jajñe pārthasya dhīmataḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न तु केवलदैवेन प्रजा भावेन रेमिरेna tu kevaladaivena prajā bhāvena remirebut it was not by [royal] birthright alone that his subjects rejoiced [in him]:
यत् बभूव मनःकान्तं कर्मणा सः चकार तत्yat babhūva manaḥkāntaṃ karmaṇā saḥ cakāra tatwhatever was dear to the heart, that he accomplished in deed;
न हि अयुक्तं न च असत्यं न अनृतं न च विप्रियम्na hi ayuktaṃ na ca asatyaṃ na anṛtaṃ na ca vipriyamfor nothing improper, nothing false, nothing untrue, nothing unpleasant
भाषितं चारुभाषस्य जज्ञे पार्थस्य धीमतःbhāṣitaṃ cārubhāṣasya jajñe pārthasya dhīmataḥwas ever spoken by the fair-spoken, wise Partha [Yudhishthira];
यद्yadoriginal form "yad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ह्य्hyoriginal form "hy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चासत्यंcāsatyaṃoriginal form "cāsatyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नानृतंnānṛtaṃoriginal form "nānṛtaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"But it was not by royal birthright alone that his subjects rejoiced in him: whatever was dear to the heart, that he accomplished in deed; for nothing improper, nothing false, nothing untrue, nothing unpleasant was ever spoken by the fair-spoken, wise Partha."
Version
8736393c9e0b · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the love of the people is won by deeds and by truthful speech. It is telling that Yudhishthira is not content with rank but "accomplishes in deed" what is good: true love is earned not by position but by righteous action. Telling too is the perfection of his speech — free of falsehood or offense. Truthfulness and good deeds are the foundation of a good name. Thus scripture reveals the virtue of Yudhishthira; and for this he is loved not for his rank, but for his merit.