Shloka 71

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

यथावदुक्त वचन हितार्थिना निशम्य विप्रेण सुवीरराष्ट्रप: तथाकरोदू्‌ वाक्यमदीनचेतन: श्रियं च दीप्तां बुभुजे सबान्धव:

Transliteration

yathāvad ukta-vacanaṁ hitārthinā niśamya vipreṇa su-vīra-rāṣṭrapaḥ | tathākarod vākyaṁ adīna-cetanaḥ śriyaṁ ca dīptāṁ bubhuje sa-bāndhavaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: Nachdem der König des tapferen Reiches den wohlgesprochenen Rat des Brahmanen, zu seinem Heil gegeben, gebührend vernommen hatte, handelte er genau nach der Weisung. Mit ungedrücktem, standhaftem Sinn genoss er daraufhin zusammen mit seinen Verwandten strahlenden Wohlstand.

Word by Word

• यथावत्: duly, properly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्
• Form: Avyaya

• उक्तम्: spoken, said
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच्
• Form: Neuter, nominative/accusative, singular (past passive participle)

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• हितार्थिना: by one seeking welfare (well-intentioned person)
• हितार्थिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हितार्थिन्
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, singular

• निशम्य: having heard, after listening
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), indeclinable

• विप्रेण: by the brahmin
• विप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, singular

• सुवीरराष्ट्रपः: the king (protector) of Suvīra-rāṣṭra
• सुवीरराष्ट्रपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवीरराष्ट्रप
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: Avyaya

• अकरोत्: did, carried out
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• वाक्यम्: the instruction/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• अदीनचेतनः: of undepressed spirit, steadfast-minded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदीनचेतन
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• श्रियम्: prosperity, fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• दीप्ताम्: bright, splendid
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• बुभुजे: enjoyed, partook of
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, singular, ātmanepada

• स: he
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• बान्धवः: with (his) kinsmen/relatives (as companion)
• बान्धवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a Brahmin (vipra)
• a king (rāṣṭrapa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should listen attentively to well-wishing, learned counsel and implement it as given; such disciplined receptivity and steadiness of mind leads to stable prosperity for oneself and one’s family.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that a king, after hearing a Brahmin’s beneficial instruction, follows it exactly and consequently attains shining fortune along with his relatives.