Shloka 38

Protection of Brāhmaṇas

Devanagari script

नयामस्तत्र बल्यर्थमिमं ब्राह्मणपुत्रकम् । इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा स विप्रः सदयोऽभवत्

Transliteration

nayāmastatra balyarthamimaṃ brāhmaṇaputrakam | iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā sa vipraḥ sadayo'bhavat

Translation

“We are taking this Brahmin’s boy there as an offering.” Hearing their words, the Brahmin was filled with compassion.

Word by Word

• नयामः: we take / we are taking
• नयामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present); उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• बल्यर्थम्: for (use as) an offering
• बल्यर्थम्: Hetu/Purpose (Prayojana/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बलि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; प्रयोजनवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (for offering/sacrifice)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्राह्मणपुत्रकम्: the brāhmaṇa's little son
• ब्राह्मणपुत्रकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्राह्मणस्य पुत्रकः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यपरिसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वचः: words
• वचः: Karma (Object of hearing/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (वचः = वचनम्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सदयः: compassionate
• सदयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + दय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; गुणवाचक (compassionate)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; exact dialogue pair not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: बल्यर्थमिमं → बल्यर्थम् + इमम्; सदयोऽभवत् → सदयः + अभवत्

FAQs

What is the central event described in this verse?

Some people state they are taking a Brahmin’s son “there” to be used as a bali (offering), and the Brahmin, upon hearing this, becomes compassionate.

What ethical lesson is emphasized here?

The verse highlights daya (compassion) as an immediate moral response to hearing of harm intended toward an innocent person.

What does “bali” mean in this context?

Here “bali” means an offering/tribute; in narrative contexts it can imply a grim sacrificial intent, which triggers the Brahmin’s compassion.