Shloka 33

कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः

Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative

Devanagari script

तमब्रवीज्नरो राजन्‌ शरण्य: शरणैषिणाम्‌

Transliteration

tam abravīn naro rājan śaraṇyaḥ śaraṇaiṣiṇām

Translation

Then that noble man—O king—who is a refuge for those seeking refuge, spoke to him.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नरः: the man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शरण्यः: protector; worthy of refuge
• शरण्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरणैषिणाम्: of those seeking refuge
• शरणैषिणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरणैषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• राम (Rāma)
• राजन् (the king, unnamed in this pāda)
• नरः (the noble man/protector, as described)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of śaraṇāgati: a righteous person—especially one with power or virtue—must become a dependable refuge for those who seek protection, responding with responsible and compassionate speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the flow of the dialogue, Rāma indicates that a noble protector addressed someone (with the king as the listener), marking a moment where counsel or reassurance is given by one characterized as a shelter to supplicants.