Shloka 30

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

दण्डेनोपनतं शत्रुं यो राजा न नियच्छति । स मृत्युमुपगह्नाति गर्भमश्वतरी यथा,“जो राजा दण्डसे नतमस्तक हुए शत्रुको पाकर भी उसे नष्ट नहीं कर देता, वह अपनी मृत्युकों आमन्त्रित करता है। ठीक उसी तरह जैसे, खच्चरी मौतके लिये ही गर्भ धारण करती है

Transliteration

daṇḍenopanataṃ śatruṃ yo rājā na niyacchati | sa mṛtyum upagahṇāti garbham aśvatarī yathā ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: If a king, even after obtaining an enemy who has been brought low by punishment and has bowed in submission, does not restrain and finish him off, he effectively embraces his own death. It is like a mule that conceives only to meet death—its pregnancy becomes the very cause of its destruction.

Word by Word

दण्डेनby punishment/rod

उपनतम्subdued/bowed down

शत्रुम्enemy

यःwho

राजाking

नnot

नियच्छतिrestrains/controls (i.e., punishes, checks)

सःhe

मृत्युम्death

उपगह्नातिembraces/accepts (invites)

गर्भम्womb/pregnancy

अश्वतरीshe-mule (female hybrid)

यथाjust as

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

rājā (king)

śatru (enemy)

daṇḍa (royal punishment/rod)

aśvatarī (mule)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes