Shloka 7

Śikhaṇḍinī’s Marriage Arrangement and the Daśārṇa Envoy’s Accusation (शिखण्डिनी-विवाह-विप्रलम्भ-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

स्वभावगुप्तं॑ नगरमापत्काले तु भारत | गोपयामास राजेन्द्र सर्वत: समलंकृतम्‌

Transliteration

svabhāvaguptaṁ nagaram āpatkāle tu bhārata | gopayāmāsa rājendra sarvataḥ samalaṅkṛtam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „O Bhārata, obgleich die Stadt von Natur aus gut geschützt war, trug der König in jener Zeit des Unheils besondere Sorge für ihre Bewachung, schmückte sie und befestigte sie ringsum.“

Word by Word

• स्वभावगुप्तम्: protected by its own nature
• स्वभावगुप्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वभावगुप्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नगरम्: city
• नगरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आपत्काले: in time of calamity
• आपत्काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपत्काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• गोपयामास: protected/guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: गुप्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वतः: on all sides; in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• समलंकृतम्: well-adorned; fully furnished
• समलंकृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-लङ्कृ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (Kuru addressee, typically Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• rājendra (the king, as addressed)
• nagara (the city)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even if a kingdom seems naturally secure, a ruler must exercise vigilance in times of danger—strengthening defenses and arrangements rather than relying on complacent confidence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes how, during a crisis, the king ensured the city’s safety by making special protective arrangements and preparing it thoroughly on all sides, despite its inherent security.