Shloka 5

Pātra-Lakṣaṇa and Niścita-Dharma

Marks of a Worthy Recipient and Stable Criteria of Dharma

Devanagari script

उत्तरां मां दिशं विद्धि दृष्टं सत्रीचापलं च ते । स्थविराणामपि स्त्रीणां बाधते मैथुनज्वर:

Transliteration

uttarāṁ māṁ diśaṁ viddhi dṛṣṭaṁ satrīcāpalaṁ ca te | sthavirāṇām api strīṇāṁ bādhate maithunajvaraḥ ||

Translation

Ella dijo: «Sábete que te señalo la dirección del norte. Tú mismo has visto cuán voluble e inquieta puede ser una mujer. Incluso las mujeres ancianas son afligidas por la fiebre del deseo carnal; el tormento nacido del anhelo sigue acosándolas.»

Word by Word

• उत्तराम्: northern (direction)
• उत्तराम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विद्धि: know / understand
• विद्धि: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दृष्टम्: seen (as a fact) / what has been seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सत्री: a woman
• सत्री: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• चापलम्: fickleness / restlessness
• चापलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चापल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• स्थविराणाम्: of the old / aged
• स्थविराणाम्: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थविर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अपि: even / also
• अपि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• बाधते: afflicts / troubles
• बाधते: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: Present, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• मैथुनज्वरः: the fever/torment of sexual union (lust-fever)
• मैथुनज्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथुन + ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the persistence and intensity of kāma (sexual desire), portraying it as a ‘fever’ that can afflict even the elderly; ethically, it functions as a warning about the need for vigilance and self-restraint in matters of desire.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in an instructive mode within the Anuśāsana Parva, addresses his listener with a pointed observation: the listener has already witnessed women’s restlessness, and Bhīṣma reinforces the point by stating that the agitation of sexual craving can trouble even older women.