Shloka 15

Cavana’s Tests of Kuśika and the Queen (अध्याय ५३: च्यवन–कुशिक-परिक्षा)

Devanagari script

ततस्ते बहुभियोंगै: कैवर्ता मत्स्यकाड्क्षिण: । गंगायमुनयोरवारि जालैरभ्यकिरंस्तत:,मछली प्राप्त करनेकी इच्छावाले केवटोंने बहुत-से उपाय करके गंगा-यमुनाके जलको जालोंसे आच्छादित कर दिया

Transliteration

tataste bahubhir yogaiḥ kaivartā matsyakāṅkṣiṇaḥ | gaṅgāyamunayor vāri jālair abhyakiran tataḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Dann setzten die Fischer, begierig nach Fischfang, vielerlei List ein und breiteten ihre Netze so weit aus, dass die Wasser von Ganga und Yamunā gleichsam von Maschen überdeckt schienen.“

Word by Word

• ततः: then/from thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• बहुभिः: with many
• बहुभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• उपायैः: means/stratagems
• उपायैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• कैवर्ताः: fishermen
• कैवर्ताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैवर्त
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• मत्स्यकाङ्क्षिणः: desiring fish
• मत्स्यकाङ्क्षिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्स्य-काङ्क्षिन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• गङ्गायमुनयोः: of the Ganga and Yamuna
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा-यमुना
• Form: feminine, genitive, dual

• वारि: water
• वारि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• जालैः: with nets
• जालैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाल
• Form: neuter, instrumental, plural

• अभ्यकिरन्: they covered/strewn over
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-किॄ
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd, plural, parasmaipada

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Kaivarta (fishermen)
• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Fishing nets (jāla)
• Fish (matsya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how desire for acquisition (here, fish as livelihood/wealth) leads people to deploy numerous calculated means; ethically, it invites reflection on restraint and responsible use of shared natural resources.

What is happening in the narrative?

Fishermen, intent on catching fish, use many methods and spread nets across the waters where the Ganga and Yamuna meet/flow, effectively covering the water with nets.