Shloka 14

Saṃsāra-Gahana Allegory: The Brāhmaṇa in the Forest and Well (संसारगहन-आख्यान)

Devanagari script

कूपमध्ये महानागमपश्यत महाबलम्‌ | कूपवीनाहवेलायामपश्यत महागजम्‌

Transliteration

kūpamadhye mahānāgam apaśyata mahābalam | kūpavīnāhavelāyām apaśyata mahāgajam ||

Translation

Vidura said: “In the midst of a well he saw a mighty, powerful serpent; and at the mouth of the well, at the very time of peril, he saw a great elephant.” The image evokes a crisis in which danger is present both within and at the threshold, urging discernment and timely, dharmic action rather than confusion or panic.

Word by Word

• कूपमध्ये: in the middle of the well
• कूपमध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप-मध्य
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महानागम्: a great serpent
• महानागम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महानाग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपश्यत: saw
• अपश्यत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

• महाबलम्: very strong (one)
• महाबलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कूपवीना: with the well-lute (a kind of instrument)
• कूपवीना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूपवीणा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• हवेलायाम्: in/at the havela (place/structure)
• हवेलायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हवेला
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• अपश्यत: saw
• अपश्यत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

• महागजम्: a great elephant
• महागजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महागज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• kūpa (well)
• mahānāga (great serpent)
• mahāgaja (great elephant)