Shloka 35

Adhyāya 136: Yavakrī–Bharadvāja Saṃvāda and the Bāladhī–Dhanuṣākṣa Gāthā

Arrogance, Boons, and Nimitta

Devanagari script

किमिदं वर्तते ब्रह्मन्‌ कि च ते ह चिकीर्षितम्‌ | अतीव हि महान्‌ यत्न: क्रियतेडयं निरर्थक:

Transliteration

Lomaśa uvāca | kim idaṁ vartate brahman kiṁ ca te ha cikīrṣitam | atīva hi mahān yatnaḥ kriyate ’yaṁ nirarthakaḥ ||

Translation

Lomaśa said: “O Brahmin, what is this that is going on here, and what indeed do you intend to do? For this is an exceedingly great effort being undertaken—yet it seems purposeless.”

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• वर्तते: is happening / is going on
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते)
• Form: present, third, singular, ātmanepada

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sir)
• Type: Noun (vocative address)
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: neuter, vocative, singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

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

• ते: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: genitive, singular

• ह: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• चिकीर्षितम्: intended act / what you wish to do
• चिकीर्षितम्: Karta
• Type: Noun (verbal noun)
• Root: चिकीर्षित (√कृ, desiderative base चिकीर्ष-)
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• अतीव: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव

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

• महान्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• क्रियते: is being done / is made
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (क्रीयते/क्रियते)
• Form: present, third, singular, passive

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• निरर्थकः: purposeless / futile
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरर्थक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• brahman (addressed person: a Brahmin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical discernment: great exertion should be guided by clear purpose and right intention; otherwise even impressive effort can become futile.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa questions a Brahmin (or revered person) about an ongoing situation, asking what is happening and what the person intends, remarking that a very great effort is being made but appears purposeless.