Shloka 2

Śulka, Kanyā, and Dauhitra-Riktha: Discourse on Bride-Price and Inheritance Rights (शुल्क-कन्या-दौहित्र-रिक्थविचारः)

Devanagari script

स तेन कर्मणा स्पर्थन्‌ पृथिवीं पृथिवीपते । चचार गतभी: प्रीतो लब्धकीर्तिवरो नृप

Transliteration

sa tena karmaṇā spardhan pṛthivīṁ pṛthivīpate | cacāra gatabhīḥ prīto labdhakīrtivaro nṛpa ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “O lord of the earth, having become inwardly proud on account of that deed, he began to vie with others. O king, since he had obtained both fame and a boon from his teacher, he then roamed the earth fearless and content.”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कर्मणा: by (his) deed/act
• कर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• स्पर्धन्: competing, vying
• स्पर्धन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पर्ध्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पृथिवीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवीपति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• चचार: wandered, roamed
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गतभीः: fearless (lit. whose fear has gone)
• गतभीः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गतभी
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रीतः: pleased, content
• प्रीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लब्धकीर्तिवरः: having obtained fame and a boon
• लब्धकीर्तिवरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्धकीर्तिवर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the king addressed as Pṛthivīpati/Nṛpa (Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
• the unnamed person being described (saḥ)
• guru (teacher, implied)
• Pṛthivī (the earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Merit and recognition can breed inner pride and rivalry; ethical vigilance is needed so that fame and boons gained through discipline do not turn into competitive arrogance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a person who, after accomplishing a significant act (likely austerity) and receiving fame and a boon from his teacher, becomes self-satisfied and fearless, and begins to roam the earth while developing a competitive attitude toward others.