Mahabharata
Saṃjaya-yāna (029) (Sañjaya's Embassy to the Pāṇḍavas, Chapters 21–32)5.29.26-30
4158 / 15823
Mahabharata · 5.29.26-30
Devanāgarī

श्रेयांस् तस्माद् यदि विद्येत कश् चिद्; अभिज्ञातः सर्वधर्मोपपन्नः ॥
स तं दुष्टम् अनुशिष्यात् प्रजानन्; न चेद् गृध्येद् इति तस्मिन् न साधु ॥
यदा गृध्येत् परभूमिं नृशंसो; विधिप्रकोपाद् बलम् आददानः ॥
ततो राज्ञां भविता युद्धम् एतत्; तत्र जातं वर्म शस्त्रं धनुश् च ॥
इन्द्रेणेदं दस्युवधाय कर्म; उत्पादितं वर्म शस्त्रं धनुश् च ॥
स्तेनो हरेद् यत्र धनं ह्य् अदृष्टः; प्रसह्य वा यत्र हरेत दृष्टः ॥
उभौ गर्ह्यौ भवतः संजयैतौ; किं वै पृथक् त्वं धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रे ॥
यो ऽयं लोभान् मन्यते धर्मम् एतं; यम् इच्छते मन्युवशानुगामी ॥
भागः पुनः पाण्डवानां निविष्टस्; तं नो ऽकस्माद् आददीरन् परे वै ॥
अस्मिन् पदे युध्यतां नो वधो ऽपि; श्लाघ्यः पित्र्यः परराज्याद् विशिष्टः ॥
एतान् धर्मान् कौरवाणां पुराणान्; आचक्षीथाः संजय राज्यमध्ये ॥
ये ते मन्दा मृत्युवशाभिपन्नाः; समानीता धार्तराष्ट्रेण मूढाः ॥
इदं पुनः कर्म पापीय एव; सभामध्ये पश्य वृत्तं कुरूणाम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

śreyāṃs tasmād yadi vidyeta kaś cid; abhijñātaḥ sarvadharmopapannaḥ ||
sa taṃ duṣṭam anuśiṣyāt prajānan; na ced gṛdhyed iti tasmin na sādhu ||
yadā gṛdhyet parabhūmiṃ nṛśaṃso; vidhiprakopād balam ādadānaḥ ||
tato rājñāṃ bhavitā yuddham etat; tatra jātaṃ varma śastraṃ dhanuś ca ||
indreṇedaṃ dasyuvadhāya karma; utpāditaṃ varma śastraṃ dhanuś ca ||
steno hared yatra dhanaṃ hy adṛṣṭaḥ; prasahya vā yatra hareta dṛṣṭaḥ ||
ubhau garhyau bhavataḥ saṃjayaitau; kiṃ vai pṛthak tvaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putre ||
yo 'yaṃ lobhān manyate dharmam etaṃ; yam icchate manyuvaśānugāmī ||
bhāgaḥ punaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ niviṣṭas; taṃ no 'kasmād ādadīran pare vai ||
asmin pade yudhyatāṃ no vadho 'pi; ślāghyaḥ pitryaḥ pararājyād viśiṣṭaḥ ||
etān dharmān kauravāṇāṃ purāṇān; ācakṣīthāḥ saṃjaya rājyamadhye ||
ye te mandā mṛtyuvaśābhipannāḥ; samānītā dhārtarāṣṭreṇa mūḍhāḥ ||
idaṃ punaḥ karma pāpīya eva; sabhāmadhye paśya vṛttaṃ kurūṇām ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
श्रेयांस्śreyāṃsbetter; more excellent
तस्माद्tasmādtherefore; hence
यदिyadiif; when
विद्येतvidyetathere were found; there existed
कश्kaśsomeone; some
चिद्cidindeed; somewhat
अभिज्ञातःabhijñātaḥrenowned; recognized
सर्वधर्मोपपन्नःsarvadharmopapannaḥendowed with every virtue; possessed of all dharma
sahe; that one
तंtaṃthat; him
दुष्टम्duṣṭamthe wicked one; the corrupt one
अनुशिष्यात्anuśiṣyātshould instruct; should chastise
प्रजानन्prajānanknowing; understanding
nanot; no
चेद्cedif; should
गृध्येद्gṛdhyedshould he be greedy; should he covet
इतिitithus; so
तस्मिन्tasminin that; in this
nanot; no
साधुsādhugood; right
यदाyadāwhen; if
गृध्येत्gṛdhyetis greedy; covets
परभूमिंparabhūmiṃanother's land; the land of another
नृशंसोnṛśaṃsocruel; malicious
विधिप्रकोपाद्vidhiprakopādthrough violation of the law; from disturbance of order
बलम्balamstrength; power
आददानःādadānaḥseizing; taking
ततोtatothen; thereafter
राज्ञांrājñāṃof kings; of rulers
भविताbhavitāwill be; will come to be
युद्धम्yuddhamwar; battle
एतत्etatthis; such
तत्रtatrathere; in that
जातंjātaṃarisen; born
वर्मvarmaarmor; mail
शस्त्रंśastraṃweapon; arms
धनुश्dhanuśbow; the weapon-bow
caand; also
इन्द्रेणेदंindreṇedaṃthis by Indra; by Indra, this
दस्युवधायdasyuvadhāyafor the slaying of robbers; for the destruction of plunderers
कर्मkarmadeed; act
उत्पादितंutpāditaṃcreated; devised
वर्मvarmaarmor; mail
शस्त्रंśastraṃweapon; arms
धनुश्dhanuśbow; the weapon-bow
caand; also
स्तेनोstenothe thief; the robber
हरेद्haredwould carry off; would steal
यत्रyatrawhere; in a case where
धनंdhanaṃwealth; property
ह्य्hyindeed; for
अदृष्टःadṛṣṭaḥunseen; unnoticed
प्रसह्यprasahyaby force; openly overpowering
वाor; either
यत्रyatrawhere; in a case where
हरेतharetawould seize; would take
दृष्टःdṛṣṭaḥseen; in the open
उभौubhauboth; the two
गर्ह्यौgarhyaublameworthy; reprehensible
भवतःbhavataḥare; become
संजयैतौsaṃjayaitauO Sanjaya, these two; these two, Sanjaya
किंkiṃwhat; how
वैvaiindeed; verily
पृथक्pṛthakseparately; distinctly
त्वंtvaṃyou; you yourself
धृतराष्ट्रस्यdhṛtarāṣṭrasyaof Dhritarashtra; of king Dhritarashtra
पुत्रेputrein the son; with regard to the son
योyowho; the one who
ऽयं'yaṃthis; he
लोभान्lobhānout of greed; from covetousness
मन्यतेmanyateconsiders; regards
धर्मम्dharmamdharma; righteousness
एतंetaṃthis; such
यम्yamwhat; which
इच्छतेicchatedesires; wishes
मन्युवशानुगामीmanyuvaśānugāmīone who follows the sway of wrath; subject to anger
भागःbhāgaḥshare; portion
पुनःpunaḥagain; moreover
पाण्डवानांpāṇḍavānāṃof the Pandavas; of the sons of Pandu
निविष्टस्niviṣṭasestablished; fixed
तंtaṃthat; it
नोnoour; of us
ऽकस्माद्'kasmādwithout cause; suddenly
आददीरन्ādadīranthey would seize; they would take away
परेparethe others; those on the other side
वैvaiindeed; verily
अस्मिन्asminin this; for this
पदेpadeposition; cause
युध्यतांyudhyatāṃof those fighting; of those who wage war
नोnoour; of us
वधोvadhodeath; slaughter
ऽपि'pieven; also
श्लाघ्यःślāghyaḥpraiseworthy; worthy of glory
पित्र्यःpitryaḥancestral; inherited
परराज्याद्pararājyādthan another's kingdom; than rule over another
विशिष्टःviśiṣṭaḥsuperior; preferable
एतान्etānthese; all these
धर्मान्dharmāndharmas; laws
कौरवाणांkauravāṇāṃof the Kauravas; of the descendants of Kuru
पुराणान्purāṇānancient; time-honored
आचक्षीथाःācakṣīthāḥyou should proclaim; declare
संजयsaṃjayaO Sanjaya; Sanjaya, the royal messenger
राज्यमध्येrājyamadhyein the midst of the kingdom; in the royal assembly
येyewho; those who
तेtethey; those
मन्दाmandāfoolish; feeble-minded
मृत्युवशाभिपन्नाःmṛtyuvaśābhipannāḥfallen under the power of death; overtaken by the doom of death
समानीताsamānītāgathered together; brought together
धार्तराष्ट्रेणdhārtarāṣṭreṇaby the son of Dhritarashtra; by Duryodhana
मूढाःmūḍhāḥthe deluded; the fools
इदंidaṃthis; this very
पुनःpunaḥagain; moreover
कर्मkarmadeed; act
पापीयpāpīyamore wicked; worse
एवevaindeed; precisely
सभामध्येsabhāmadhyein the midst of the assembly; in the council hall
पश्यpaśyabehold; look upon
वृत्तंvṛttaṃconduct; the deed
कुरूणाम्kurūṇāmof the Kurus; of the descendants of Kuru
Translation

The king protects all this with (due) care and makes all the castes carry out their respective duties. He should not indulge in sensual pleasures. He should be impartial and treat all his subjects equally. A king should never yield to the promptings of desires that contradict righteousness. If there is someone more praiseworthy than himself, who is well known and endowed with every virtue, the king should have his subjects go to see him. A bad king, however, will not understand this. Growing strong, cruel, and becoming the target of fate's wrath, he casts covetous glances upon the wealth of others. Then war follows, for which weapons, armor, and bows are made. Indra devised these implements in order to execute robbers. He likewise devised armor, weapons, and bows. Religious merit is gained by executing robbers. A multitude of terrible evils has appeared because of the unrighteousness of the Kurus and their disregard for law and religion. This is wrong, O Sanjaya. Now King Dhritarashtra, together with his sons, has without cause seized what by right belonged to the son of Pandu. He does not object to the ancient law observed by kings.

Version

ad751928b3f7 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:43:08 AM UTC

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