Shloka 15

निर्वेदोपदेशः (Nirveda-Upadeśa) — Maṅki’s Dispassion and the Limits of Wealth-Seeking

Devanagari script

इतस्त्रियोजनं गत्वा राक्षसाधिपतिर्महान्‌ | विरूपाक्ष इति ख्यात: सखा मम महाबल:

Transliteration

itastriyojanaṃ gatvā rākṣasādhipatir mahān | virūpākṣa iti khyātaḥ sakhā mama mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Von hier aus, nach drei Yojanas Weges, gibt es einen mächtigen Herrn der Rākṣasas, berühmt unter dem Namen Virūpākṣa — meinen kraftvollen Freund.“

Word by Word

• इतस्: from here
• इतस्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from here')

• त्रि: three
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: indeclinable numeral stem used in compound

• योजनम्: a yojana (measure of distance)
• योजनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), indeclinable; 'having gone'

• राक्षस: demon, rākṣasa
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, stem used in compound

• अधिपतिः: lord, chief
• अधिपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महान्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विरूपाक्षः: Virūpākṣa (one with strange/uneven eyes)
• विरूपाक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूपाक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular (proper name)

• इति: thus, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति
• Form: Avyaya (quotative particle)

• ख्यातः: known, famed
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सखा: friend
• सखा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मम: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• महाबलः: mighty, of great strength
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Virupaksha
• Rakshasa overlord (rākṣasādhipati)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights pragmatic statecraft within a dharmic frame: knowing who holds power nearby and recognizing alliances (even with formidable beings) can be crucial for protection, negotiation, and maintaining order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma gives a directional, concrete detail—three yojanas from the present location—pointing out a powerful Rākṣasa ruler named Virūpākṣa and identifying him as Bhīṣma’s strong ally.