Shloka 17

Jaratkāru-nirukti and Parīkṣit’s forest encounter (जরত्कारुनिरुक्तिः—परिक्षिद्वनप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

शेष उवाच एष एव वरो देव काड्क्षितो मे पितामह । धर्मे मे रमतां बुद्धि: शमे तपसि चेश्वर,शेषजीने कहा--देव! पितामह! परमेश्वर! मेरे लिये यही अभीष्ट वर है कि मेरी बुद्धि सदा धर्म, मनोनिग्रह तथा तपस्यामें लगी रहे

Transliteration

Śeṣa uvāca: eṣa eva varo deva kāṅkṣito me pitāmaha | dharme me ramatāṁ buddhiḥ śame tapasi ceśvara ||

Translation

Śeṣa said: “O god, O Grandfather (Brahmā), O Lord—this alone is the boon I desire: may my understanding ever delight in dharma, and remain devoted to self-restraint and austerity.”

Word by Word

• शेषः: Shesha
• शेषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एषः: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• वरः: boon
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देव: O god
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• काङ्क्षितः: desired
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काङ्क्ष्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

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

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मे: in dharma / in righteousness
• धर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मे: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• रमताम्: may (it) delight / may (it) be engaged
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम्
• Form: Imperative, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• बुद्धिः: intellect/mind
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• शमे: in tranquility/self-control
• शमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ईश्वर: O Lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

शेष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Īśvara (Lord, addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates inner ethical cultivation over external rewards: the highest boon is a steady intellect that delights in dharma, grounded in mental restraint (śama) and disciplined austerity (tapas).

What is happening in the narrative?

Śeṣa, addressing the divine Grandfather (Brahmā) and the Lord, states the boon he seeks: not power or possessions, but unwavering commitment of his mind and intellect to righteousness, self-control, and ascetic discipline.