Shloka 13

Adhyāya 122 — Śruta-vṛtta-yukta Brāhmaṇa and the Ethics of Dāna

Maitreya–Vyāsa Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

वहन्ति मामतिबला: कुञ्जरा हेममालिन: । स्यन्दनेषु च काम्बोजा युक्ता: परमवाजिन:

Transliteration

vahanti mām atibalāḥ kuñjarā hemamālinaḥ | syandaneṣu ca kāmbojā yuktāḥ paramavājinaḥ ||

Translation

Das Insekt sprach: „Überaus mächtige Elefanten, mit goldenen Girlanden geschmückt, tragen mich dahin; und an meine Wagen sind Kāmboja-Pferde der edelsten Zucht angespannt, von höchster Schnelligkeit.“

Word by Word

• वहन्ति: carry, bear
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह्
• Form: Lat (Present), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Common, Accusative, Singular

• अतिबलाः: very strong
• अतिबलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुञ्जराः: elephants
• कुञ्जराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हेममालिनः: wearing garlands of gold
• हेममालिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेममालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्यन्दनेषु: in chariots
• स्यन्दनेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• काम्बोजाः: Kambojas (Kamboja horses/men)
• काम्बोजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्बोज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• युक्ताः: yoked, harnessed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज्
• Form: Past Passive Participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परमवाजिनः: having excellent speed / best steeds
• परमवाजिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमवाजिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

कीट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• kīṭa (the insect, speaker)
• kuñjara (elephants)
• hema-mālā (golden garlands)
• syandana (chariot)
• kāmboja (Kāmboja horses/region)
• vājī (horse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how wealth, power, and prestigious possessions (elephants, fine horses, chariots) can inflate ego and obscure discernment; ethically, it invites reflection on non-attachment and humility, since such splendor is not a reliable measure of virtue or lasting security.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker, identified as ‘the insect’ (kīṭa), boasts of being carried by powerful, gold-adorned elephants and driven in chariots drawn by excellent Kāmboja horses—depicting a scene of royal magnificence used to characterize prideful self-display.