Shloka 10

Pātra-Lakṣaṇa and Niścita-Dharma

Marks of a Worthy Recipient and Stable Criteria of Dharma

Devanagari script

गच्छस्व सुकृतं कृत्वा कि चान्यच्छोतुमिच्छसि । यावद्‌ ब्रवीमि विप्रर्षे अष्टावक्र यथातथम्‌

Transliteration

gacchasva sukṛtaṃ kṛtvā kiṃ cānyac chrotum icchasi | yāvad bravīmi viprarṣe aṣṭāvakra yathātatham ||

Translation

„Geh nun, nachdem du verdienstvolle Taten vollbracht hast. Was willst du noch hören? Sprich, o Aṣṭāvakra, Bester der Seher: Solange ich reden kann, will ich dir alles genau so sagen, wie es ist.“

Word by Word

• गच्छस्व: go (you should go)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गच्छ्)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपदम्

• सुकृतम्: merit, good deed
• सुकृतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कृत्वा: having done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

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

• अन्यत्: other, another
• अन्यत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive)

• इच्छसि: you desire, you wish
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: लट् (present), 2, singular, परस्मैपदम्

• यावत्: as long as; until
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत्

• ब्रवीमि: I say, I tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: लट् (present), 1, singular, परस्मैपदम्

• विप्रर्षे: O brahmin-sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्रर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• अष्टावक्र: O Aṣṭāvakra
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टावक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• तथा: so, thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Aṣṭāvakra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the value of sukṛta (meritorious conduct) and the commitment to yathātatham—speaking truthfully and precisely. Ethical instruction is framed as something to be sought deliberately, and the teacher promises accuracy rather than embellishment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses the sage Aṣṭāvakra, indicating that the listener may depart after accruing merit, yet inviting further questions. Bhīṣma offers to explain matters fully and truthfully for as long as he is able to speak.