Shloka 16

Adhyāya 118: Saciva-parīkṣā

Testing and Appointment of Ministers/Servants

Devanagari script

ततः शरभसंत्रस्ता: सर्वे मृगगणास्तदा

Transliteration

tataḥ śarabhasaṃtrastāḥ sarve mṛgagaṇās tadā

Translation

Daraufhin wurden in jenem Augenblick, vom plötzlichen Ansturm und der Unruhe erschreckt, alle Herden der Wildtiere von Furcht ergriffen.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• शरभसंत्रस्ताः: frightened by the śarabha
• शरभसंत्रस्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरभ-संत्रस्त
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• मृगगणाः: herds of deer/animals
• मृगगणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग-गण
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: Avyaya (temporal adverb)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• mṛgagaṇa (herds of wild animals)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how sudden aggression or upheaval creates widespread fear, affecting even those not directly involved. Ethically, it cautions that actions driven by force or turmoil have broader consequences and disturb the vulnerable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a moment when a sudden commotion arises, and as a result all the wild animals (mṛgagaṇas) become alarmed and scatter in fear.