Shloka 8

लुब्धक-कपोत-कपोती-आख्यानम्

The Hunter and the Pigeon Couple: Expiation and Refuge-Ethics

Devanagari script

न भुड्धक्ते मय्यभुक्ते या नास्नाते स्नाति सुव्रता । नातिष्ठत्युपतिछेत शेते च शयिते मयि

Transliteration

na bhuktānte mayy abhukte yā nāsnāte snāti suvratā | nātiṣṭhaty upatiṣṭhet śete ca śayite mayi ||

Translation

সেইজনী আছিল উত্তম ব্ৰতধাৰিণী পতিব্ৰতা; মই নাখালে সি নাখাইছিল, মই নাস্নান কৰিলে সি স্নান নকৰিছিল। মোক বহুৱাই নিদিলে সি নবহিছিল, আৰু মই শুই পৰাৰ পাছতেহে সি শয়ন কৰিছিল।

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• भुङ्क्ते: eats
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Lat, Present indicative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मयि: when I / in my case
• मयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Locative, Singular

• अभुक्ते: when (I am) not fed / not having eaten
• अभुक्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-भुक्त
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• या: she who
• या: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अस्नाते: when (I am) not bathed
• अस्नाते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-स्नात
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• स्नाति: bathes
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना
• Form: Lat, Present indicative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सुव्रता: a woman of good vows
• सुव्रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-व्रत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• आतिष्ठति: sits down / takes a seat
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: Lat, Present indicative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उपतिष्ठेत: would attend / would stand near (serve)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था
• Form: Vidhi-lin, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शेते: lies down / sleeps
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी
• Form: Lat, Present indicative, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शयिते: when (I am) lying down / when I have gone to bed
• शयिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शयित
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मयि: when I (have done so) / in my case
• मयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined, self-restrained devotion within household life: the wife’s conduct is portrayed as attentive service and prioritizing the husband’s needs, presented as an ideal of patnī-dharma (wifely duty) and suvrata (observance of vows).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes the exemplary behavior of a devoted wife, listing her daily practices—eating, bathing, sitting, and sleeping only after him—to illustrate her steadfast vow and attentive service.