Shloka 10

Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana

Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues

Devanagari script

शक्र उवाच यदि सम बलिना ब्रह्मन्‌ शून्यागारे समेयिवान्‌ । हन्यामेनं न वा हन्यां तद्‌ ब्रह्मुन्ननुशाधि माम्‌

Transliteration

śakra uvāca yadi sama balinā brahman śūnyāgāre sameyivān | hanyām enaṃ na vā hanyāṃ tad brahmann anuśādhi mām ||

Translation

শক্র বললেন—হে ব্রহ্মন্! যদি কোনো নির্জন গৃহে রাজা বলির সঙ্গে আমার সাক্ষাৎ হয়, তবে আমি কি তাকে বধ করব, না করব? হে ব্রহ্মন্, আমাকে ধর্মসম্মত পথ নির্দেশ করুন।

Word by Word

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• समम्: equal(ly), on equal terms
• समम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बलिना: with Bali (the king Bali)
• बलिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शून्यागारे: in an empty house/solitary chamber
• शून्यागारे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शून्यागार
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• समेयिवान्: having met / having come together
• समेयिवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-इ
• Form: Perfect active participle (Liṭ-kṛdanta), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हन्याम्: should I kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• हन्याम्: should I kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अनुशाधि: instruct (me), tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-शास्
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Bali
• Brahmin (unnamed adviser)
• śūnyāgāra (empty house)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-question: even a powerful ruler (Indra) must seek ethical guidance before using lethal force, especially in a situation resembling an ambush or private killing rather than open combat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Śakra) asks a Brahmin adviser whether, if he meets Bali alone in a deserted house, he should kill him or refrain, requesting a clear instruction on the righteous course.