Shloka 14

Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

यस्य धर्मध्वजो नित्यं सुरा ध्वज इवोच्छित: । प्रच्छन्नानि च पापानि बैडालं नाम तद्‌ व्रतम्‌,“देवताओ! साधारण ध्वजकी भाँति जिसकी धर्ममयी ध्वजा सदा ऊँचेतक फहराती रहती है; परंतु जिसके द्वारा गुप्तरूपसे पाप भी होते रहते हैं, उसके उस व्रतको बिडालव्रत कहते हैं

Translation

“He whose banner of dharma is ever held aloft, raised high like the standard of a drunkard, yet whose sins are concealed—such a vow is called Baidāla-vrata, the ‘cat’s vow’.”

Word by Word

यस्यof whom/whose

धर्मध्वजःthe banner/standard of dharma (show of righteousness)

नित्यम्always

सुराa god; the deity

ध्वजःbanner/flag

इवlike/as

उच्छितःraised aloft

प्रच्छन्नानिhidden/covered

चand

पापानिsins/evil deeds

बैडालम्cat-like (hypocritical)

नामby name; called

तत्that

व्रतम्vow/practice

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes