Shloka 23

Adhyāya 12: Devas’ Petition to Nahūṣa; Bṛhaspati on Śaraṇāgata-Dharma; Indrāṇī’s Strategic Delay

Devanagari script

अस्या हित॑ भवेद्‌ यच्च मम चापि हित॑ भवेत्‌ | क्रियतां तत्‌ सुरश्रेष्ठा न हि दास्याम्यहं शचीम्‌

Transliteration

asyā hitaṁ bhaved yac ca mama cāpi hitaṁ bhavet | kriyatāṁ tat suraśreṣṭhā na hi dāsyāmy ahaṁ śacīm ||

Translation

“Let that be done which will be for her welfare and also for my own. O best of the gods, carry out that course; for I will never give up Śacī.”

Word by Word

• अस्याः: of her (of this woman)
• अस्याः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (स्त्री. सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• हितम्: welfare; benefit
• हितम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक; √धा/√हि-जन्य अर्थे 'हित' = beneficial)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: may be; would be
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यत्: which; what
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मम: of me; my
• मम: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• च: also/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also; even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• हितम्: welfare; benefit
• हितम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: may be; would be
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्रियताम्: let it be done
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 3rd, Singular, Karmani (Passive)

• तत्: that (act/thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• सुरश्रेष्ठाः: O best of the gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरश्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• दास्यामि: I will give
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (दाने)
• Form: Simple Future (Lṛṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• शचीम्: Śacī (proper name)
• शचीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śacī
• Suraśreṣṭhāḥ (best of the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The speaker frames decision-making in terms of hita (welfare) for all concerned, yet asserts a firm ethical boundary: certain persons or relationships are not to be treated as transferable objects, even under pressure from powerful authorities.

What is happening in the narrative?

Addressing the ‘best of the gods,’ the speaker urges them to undertake whatever action will secure mutual welfare, but declares an uncompromising refusal to hand over Śacī.