Mahabharata 2.6.3–4

Lokapāla-sabhākhyāna (The Question about the Heavenly Assemblies)2.6.3–4

2012 / 15823

Mahabharata · 2.6.3–4

॥

Devanāgarī

राजभिर् यद् यथा कार्यं पुरा तत् तन् न संशयः ॥
यथान्यायोपनीतार्थं कृतं हेतुमद् अर्थवत् ॥
वयं तु सत्पथं तेषां यातुम् इच्छामहे प्रभो ॥
न तु शक्यं तथा गन्तुं यथा तैर् नियतात्मभिः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

rājabhir yad yathā kāryaṃ purā tat tan na saṃśayaḥ ||
yathānyāyopanītārthaṃ kṛtaṃ hetumad arthavat ||
vayaṃ tu satpathaṃ teṣāṃ yātum icchāmahe prabho ||
na tu śakyaṃ tathā gantuṃ yathā tair niyatātmabhiḥ ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

राजभिः यत् यथा कार्यम् पुराrājabhiḥ yat yathā kāryam purāwhat and how it was proper for kings to do in ancient times,

तत् तत् न संशयःtat tat na saṃśayaḥall that [they accomplished], without doubt —

यथा-न्याय-उपनीत-अर्थम्yathā-nyāya-upanīta-arthambringing [it] to its end justly,

कृतम् हेतु-मत् अर्थ-वत्kṛtam hetu-mat artha-vatdone with reason and with purpose;

वयम् तु सत्-पथम् तेषाम्vayam tu sat-patham teṣāmbut we, along their good path,

यातुम् इच्छामहे प्रभोyātum icchāmahe prabhowish to walk, O lord,

न तु शक्यम् तथा गन्तुम्na tu śakyam tathā gantumyet it is not possible [for us] to walk so,

यथा तैः नियत-आत्मभिःyathā taiḥ niyata-ātmabhiḥas those did who had mastered themselves."

राजभिर्rājabhiroriginal form "rājabhir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

यद्yadoriginal form "yad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कार्यंkāryaṃoriginal form "kāryaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तन्tanoriginal form "tan", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

यथान्यायोपनीतार्थंyathānyāyopanītārthaṃoriginal form "yathānyāyopanītārthaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कृतंkṛtaṃoriginal form "kṛtaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

हेतुमद्hetumadoriginal form "hetumad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

अर्थवत्arthavatoriginal form "arthavat", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

वयंvayaṃoriginal form "vayaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

सत्पथंsatpathaṃoriginal form "satpathaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तेषांteṣāṃoriginal form "teṣāṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

शक्यंśakyaṃoriginal form "śakyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

गन्तुंgantuṃoriginal form "gantuṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तैर्tairoriginal form "tair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

नियतात्मभिःniyatātmabhiḥoriginal form "niyatātmabhiḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

Translation

"What and how it was proper for kings to do in ancient times, all that they did without doubt — bringing the matter to its end justly, with reason and with purpose. We ourselves only wish to walk their good path, O lord, but we are not able to walk it as they did, those who had mastered themselves."

Commentary

Here the righteous king humbly places himself below the ancients. It is significant that Yudhishthira, whose righteousness is renowned, says he is 'unable to walk as they did': true greatness always sees a higher measure above itself. Thus the scripture shows humility before one's forebears as a virtue, not a weakness; and next the king turns with a question to Narada.

Version

79b9ea5523a0 · published Jul 16, 2026, 2:43:41 PM UTC

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