Shloka 6

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

तस्मै विनिश्चितार्थाय परिपृष्टो<र्थनिश्चयम्‌ । उवाच ब्राह्मणो वाक्यमिदं हेतुमदुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

tasmai viniścitārthāya paripṛṣṭo ’rthanścayam | uvāca brāhmaṇo vākyam idaṃ hetumad uttamam ||

Translation

فلما سألَه الملكُ—وقد استقرَّت غايته رسوخًا وكان يلتمس حكمًا بيّنًا فيما ينبغي فعله—أجابه البراهمن بهذه الكلمات الرفيعة، الغنية بالحجّة والتعليل، مُبيِّنًا نهجًا حاسمًا للعمل.

Word by Word

• {'tasmai': 'to him

• for that person (dative singular)', 'viniścitārthāya': 'to one whose aim/meaning is firmly determined

• to one of settled purpose', 'paripṛṣṭaḥ': 'having been asked

• when questioned closely', 'artha-niścayam (’rthanścayam)': 'a determination/decision regarding the matter

• decisive conclusion about the issue at hand', 'uvāca': 'said

• spoke', 'brāhmaṇaḥ': 'the Brahmin (a learned priest/sage figure)', 'vākyam': 'speech

• utterance', 'idam': 'this', 'hetumat': 'endowed with reasons

• supported by arguments', 'uttamam': 'excellent

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• a king (rājā, unnamed in the verse)
• a Brahmin (brāhmaṇaḥ, unnamed in the verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should seek and accept counsel that is hetumat—grounded in clear reasoning—and aimed at artha-niścaya, a definite conclusion about right action, rather than acting from impulse or uncertainty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates a scene where a king, wanting a firm decision about his duty, questions a Brahmin; the Brahmin then begins an excellent, well-reasoned reply that will guide the king’s course of action.