Shloka 8

Vītahavya’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya (Vītahavya–Vipratva) | वीतहव्यस्य ब्राह्मण्यप्राप्तिः

Devanagari script

ततो दशशते काले लभते शूद्रतामपि । शूद्रयोनावपि ततो बहुश: परिवर्तते,“तदनन्तर एक हजार वर्ष बीतनेपर वह चाण्डाल या पुल्कस शूद्रयोनिमें जन्म लेता है और उसमें भी अनेक जन्मोंतक चक्कर लगाता रहता है

Transliteration

tato daśaśate kāle labhate śūdratām api | śūdrayonāv api tato bahuśaḥ parivartate |

Translation

Bhīṣma said: Thereafter, when a period of ten hundred years has passed, he attains even the state of a Śūdra. And even after entering a Śūdra womb, he continues to revolve through many births.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

दशशतेin (the period of) a thousand (ten-hundreds)

कालेat the time, after (a time)

लभतेobtains, attains

शूद्रताम्the state of being a Śūdra

अपिalso, even

शूद्रयोनौin a Śūdra womb/birth

अपिeven, also

ततःthen, thereafter

बहुशःmany times, repeatedly

परिवर्ततेturns about, revolves, undergoes repeated change (of births)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śūdra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that actions bear long-term karmic results: severe or persistent adharma can lead to prolonged suffering and repeated rebirth in lower conditions, continuing until one’s karma is exhausted and conduct is reformed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is explaining a sequence of karmic outcomes over time: after a long period (a thousand years), the being attains birth as a Śūdra, and even then continues to cycle through many births, indicating an extended phase of transmigration tied to prior deeds.