Shloka 168
Devanagari script
भक्ष्यार्थ हवबद्धस्त्वं स मुक्त: पीडित: क्षुधा
Transliteration
bhakṣyārtha-havabaddhas tvaṃ sa muktaḥ pīḍitaḥ kṣudhā
Translation
Bhīṣma said: “Bound by the lure of food, you became ensnared; and though you were later released, you remained tormented by hunger.”
Word by Word
भक्ष्यार्थone whose purpose is food; for the sake of eating
भक्ष्यार्थ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभक्ष्य + अर्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हवबद्धःbound for (as) an oblation; tied up for sacrifice
हवबद्धः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootहव + बद्ध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Nominative, Singular
सःhe; that (person)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मुक्तःreleased; freed
मुक्तः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमुच् (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पीडितःafflicted; tormented
पीडितः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपीड् (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
क्षुधाby hunger
क्षुधा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootक्षुध्
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Desire can bind a person more powerfully than external chains: one may be physically freed, yet the inner compulsion (here, hunger/craving) continues to cause suffering. The remedy implied is restraint and mastery over appetites.
Bhīṣma addresses a ‘you’ (in an illustrative or admonitory context) describing a sequence: being trapped due to the lure of food, then being released, yet still remaining distressed by hunger—highlighting how craving persists beyond circumstances.