Shloka 76

Śiśupāla-janma-lakṣaṇaṃ (Śiśupāla’s birth marks and the prophecy of his end)

Devanagari script

वृष्णिसिंहस्य सुप्तस्य तथामी प्रमुखे स्थिता: । 'जैसे सिंहके सो जानेपर बहुत-से कुत्ते उसके निकट आकर एक साथ भूकने लगते हैं, उसी प्रकार ये सामने खड़े हुए राजा भी तभीतक भूक रहे हैं, जबतक वृष्णिवंशका सिंह सो रहा है

Transliteration

vṛṣṇisiṁhasya suptasya tathāmī pramukhe sthitāḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “While the lion of the Vṛṣṇis lies as if asleep, these kings standing at the front are making their noise only for so long—just as many dogs gather near a sleeping lion and bark together. Their boldness lasts only until that lion awakens.”

Word by Word

• वृष्णिसिंहस्य: of the Vrishni-lion (lion among the Vrishnis)
• वृष्णिसिंहस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णिसिंह
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुप्तस्य: of (him) sleeping
• सुप्तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तथा: thus, in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अमी: these (those here)
• अमी: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अदस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रमुखे: in front, at the forefront
• प्रमुखे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमुख
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्थिताः: standing, stationed
• स्थिताः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vṛṣṇis (Vṛṣṇi clan)
• Vṛṣṇisiṁha (lion among the Vṛṣṇis; implied Kṛṣṇa)
• kings (rājānaḥ; implied by context)
• lion (siṁha)
• dogs (implied by the simile in the given passage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the weak become loud only when the truly powerful restrain themselves. It critiques opportunistic bravado and implies an ethical warning: intimidation and mockery thrive in the absence (or self-restraint) of genuine strength, but collapse when rightful power asserts itself.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly context, certain kings are behaving aggressively and speaking boldly. The narrator compares them to dogs barking near a sleeping lion, suggesting their confidence depends on the ‘lion among the Vṛṣṇis’ remaining inactive; once he acts, their posturing will end.