Shloka 5

Ālasyadoṣa-nirdeśa (On the Fault of Negligence) — The Camel’s Long-Neck Exemplum

Devanagari script

तपसस्तस्य चान्ते5थ प्रीतिमानभवद्‌ विभु: । वरेण च्छन्दयामास ततश्रनैनं पितामह:,उस तपस्याके अन्तमें पितामह भगवान्‌ ब्रह्मा बड़े प्रसन्न हुए। उन्होंने उससे वर माँगनेके लिये कहा

Transliteration

tapasas tasya cānte ’tha prītimān abhavad vibhuḥ | vareṇa cchandayāmāsa tataś cainaṃ pitāmahaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Als seine Askese (tapas) zu ihrem Ende gelangt war, wurde der mächtige Herr (Brahmā) zufrieden. Da lud der Großvater (Brahmā) ihn ein, eine Gabe zu wählen—als sittliche Gewähr, dass aufrichtiges, diszipliniertes tapas in göttlicher Billigung und gerechtem Lohn mündet.

Word by Word

• तपसः: of the austerity
• तपसः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• प्रीतिमान्: pleased, delighted
• प्रीतिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीतिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• विभुः: the mighty one (Brahmā)
• विभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वरेण: with a boon
• वरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• छन्दयामास: invited / urged (to choose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छन्द्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

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

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

• पितामहः: the Grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha, Vibhu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steady tapas (disciplined austerity) bears fruit: when undertaken to completion, it draws divine satisfaction and results in a rightful boon—signaling that ethical self-control and perseverance are recognized and rewarded.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that after the person’s austerities conclude, Brahmā becomes pleased and prompts him to ask for a boon, indicating the successful culmination of the ascetic undertaking.