Shloka 14

Devanagari script

हर्षेण महता5<विष्टो वाक्‍्यं व्याकुललोचन: । तथेमं शकुनिं दृष्टवा विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा,शास्त्रीय विधिसे सत्कार पा उसने बड़े हर्षमें भरकर डबडबायी हुई आँखोंसे कबूतरकी ओर देखकर कहा--

Transliteration

harṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭo vākyam vyākula-locanaḥ | tathā imaṃ śakuniṃ dṛṣṭvā vidhi-dṛṣṭena karmaṇā satkāram cakāra, harṣa-bharād dṛṣṭiḥ sajalā babhūva; kapotaṃ prati nirīkṣya uvāca ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Overwhelmed with great joy, his eyes unsteady and brimming, he looked at the bird and spoke. Having seen that śakuni (the bird) and acting as sacred rule enjoins, he offered it due hospitality—his heart moved by reverence for dharma and the duty of honoring a guest.

Word by Word

हर्षेणwith joy

महताgreat

आविष्टःpossessed/overcome (by)

वाक्यम्speech/words

व्याकुल-लोचनःhaving agitated/tearful eyes

तथाthus/so

इमम्this (one)

शकुनिम्bird (śakuni)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

विधि-दृष्टेनseen/ordained by fate

कर्मणाby (his) act/deed

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

भ

भीष्म (Bhīṣma)

श

शकुनि (śakuni—bird)

क

कपोत (kapota—pigeon/dove, per narrative gloss)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights atithi-dharma: one should honor a guest (even a vulnerable creature seeking refuge) according to righteous injunctions, with sincerity and compassion rather than mere formality.

What is happening in the narrative?

A character, moved with great joy and emotion, sees the bird (śakuni/kapota) and, following scriptural propriety, offers it respectful hospitality, then speaks to it—setting up an ethical episode about duty and protection.