Shloka 363

वृत्ति-सत्सङ्ग-दान-धर्म

Livelihood, Virtuous Association, and Ethics of Giving

Devanagari script

धनुरादाय बाणेन तदान्वसरत प्रभु: । यज्ञको मृगका रूप धारण करके भागते देख भगवान्‌ शिवने धनुष हाथमें लेकर अपने बाणके द्वारा उसका पीछा किया

Transliteration

dhanur ādāya bāṇena tadānv asarat prabhuḥ |

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Da ergriff der Herr seinen Bogen und verfolgte ihn mit einem Pfeil. Als er das Opferwesen, das die Gestalt eines Hirsches angenommen hatte, fliehen sah, setzte Herr Śiva, den Bogen in der Hand, ihm mit seinem Geschoss nach. Die Begebenheit macht deutlich, dass selbst im heiligen Rahmen ein Betrug und die Störung des Dharma rasch durch göttliche Autorität gezügelt werden.“

Word by Word

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• बाणेन: with an arrow
• बाणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• अन्वसरत्: pursued / followed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + सृ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रभुः: the lord (Shiva)
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śiva
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• arrow (bāṇa)
• deer-form (mṛga-rūpa)
• sacrifice (yajña)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma—especially the integrity of sacred rites—must be protected; when adharma appears through deception or disruption, rightful authority may act decisively to restrain it.

What is happening in the narrative?

A being associated with the sacrifice flees after taking a deer’s form; Lord Śiva takes up his bow and arrow and pursues the fleeing figure.