Shloka 7
अबुद्धिपूर्वकपापविमोचनप्रश्नः — Janamejaya’s Unintended Transgression and the Indrota Rebuke
Devanagari script
एष शाकुनिक: शेते तव वासं समाश्रित:
Transliteration
eṣa śākunikaḥ śete tava vāsaṃ samāśritaḥ
Translation
Bhīṣma said: “Here lies this gambler, having taken refuge in your dwelling.”
Word by Word
एषःthis (man)
एषः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शाकुनिकःthe gambler / Shakuni-like man
शाकुनिकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशाकुनिक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शेतेlies, rests
शेते:
TypeVerb
Rootशी (शयने)
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada
तवof you, your
तव:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
वासम्dwelling, residence
वासम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवास
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
समाश्रितःhaving resorted to, having taken refuge in
समाश्रितः:
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-आ-श्रि (आश्रयणे) → समाश्रित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaŚ
śākunika (gambler)T
tava vāsa (your dwelling/residence)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
The line highlights the ethical tension around shelter and dependence: when someone—especially of questionable conduct like a gambler—takes refuge in one’s home, the householder’s dharma involves discerning protection, responsibility, and appropriate boundaries.
Bhīṣma points out that a person described as a śākunika is lying there, having sought shelter in the listener’s residence, setting up a discussion about how one should respond to such a dependent guest or refuge-seeker.