Shloka 10

Devanagari script

कृतस्य पूर्व चानर्थरयुक्तस्याप्यनुतिष्ठत: । इमं पश्यत संगत्या मम दैवमुपप्लवम्‌

Transliteration

kṛtasya pūrvaṃ cānartharayuktasyāpy anutiṣṭhataḥ | imaṃ paśyata saṅgatyā mama daivam upaplavam ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Earlier, when I undertook my efforts, many kinds of harmful consequences arose. Even though those efforts were already entangled with misfortune, I still persisted in striving for the acquisition of wealth. But look now—because of my attachment, what a divinely-sent calamity has fallen upon me.”

Word by Word

• {'kṛtasya': 'of what was done

• of an undertaken act/effort', 'pūrvam': 'formerly

• earlier', 'anartha': 'harm, misfortune, undesirable consequence', 'anartha-rayukta': 'connected with harm

• fraught with adverse results', 'api': 'even

• although', 'anutiṣṭhataḥ': 'of one persisting/continuing

• while carrying on', 'paśyata': 'see! behold! (imperative, plural/polite)', 'saṅgatyā': 'through attachment/association

• due to clinging', 'mama': 'my', 'daivam': 'fated

• arising from destiny', 'upaplava': 'calamity, upheaval, affliction, disaster'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Persisting in wealth-seeking or any pursuit despite clear harmful consequences, especially when driven by attachment (saṅga), invites further suffering; one should recognize warning signs, restrain greed, and act with discernment in line with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma reflects on his earlier actions: although his efforts had already produced ‘anartha’ (harmful outcomes), he continued due to attachment. He now points to the present misfortune as a ‘daiva upaplava’—a calamity experienced as fate’s blow—highlighting the moral causality behind it.