Shloka 140

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

इह भूत्वा शिशु: साक्षात्‌ कि भवानवतिष्ठते । पीत्वा जगदिदं सर्वमेतदाख्यातुमहसि,“आप इस सम्पूर्ण जगत्‌को पी करके यहाँ साक्षात्‌ बालकवेषमें क्‍यों विराजमान हैं? यह सब बतानेकी कृपा करें

Transliteration

iha bhūtvā śiśuḥ sākṣāt kiṁ bhavān avatiṣṭhate | pītvā jagad idaṁ sarvam etad ākhyātum arhasi ||

Translation

O Lord, having manifested here in visible form as a child, why do you remain so? After drinking up this entire universe, you ought to explain this—pray tell how it can be.

Word by Word

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• शिशुः: a child
• शिशुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात्

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अवतिष्ठते: stands/remains, is situated
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + अव (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (present), ātmanepada, 3rd, singular

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• पीत्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• आख्यातुम्: to tell, to explain
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु) (आ + ख्या)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), parasmaipada (infinitive usage-neutral)

• अर्हसि: you are able/fit; please (do)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), parasmaipada, 2nd, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana (speaker)
• the child-form (śiśu-rūpa, implied)
• the universe/world (jagat)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a classic epic motif: the finite eye beholds an impossible cosmic act (the universe swallowed) and responds with reverent inquiry. Ethically, it models humility before the mysterious and the duty to seek clarification from a worthy source rather than speculate.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (introduced as Vaiśampāyana) reports a question addressed to a being appearing as a child: after witnessing that this being has ‘drunk’ the entire universe, the questioner asks why the being remains here in child-form and requests an explanation of the marvel.