Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सर्वाम्भसां निर्धि भीम॑ मूर्तिमन्तं झषायुतम्‌ । चन्द्रोदये विवर्धन्तमप्लव: संस्तितीर्षसि,“अरे! तुम चन्द्रोदयके समय बढ़ते हुए, जलजन्तुओंसे पूर्ण तथा उत्ताल तरंगोंसे व्याप्त अगाध जलराशिवाले भयंकर समुद्रको बिना किसी नावके ही केवल दोनों हाथोंके सहारे पार करना चाहते हो

Transliteration

sarvāmbhasāṁ nidhir bhīmaṁ mūrtimantaṁ jhaṣāyutam | candrodaye vivardhantam aplavaḥ saṁstitīrṣasi ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: «Intentas, sin barca alguna, cruzar con tus manos desnudas ese océano terrible—depósito de todas las aguas—rebosante de peces y criaturas acuáticas, y que se hincha al alzarse la luna. Es una resolución temeraria, nacida de la soberbia, que desprecia los medios prudentes y los límites de la fuerza humana».

Word by Word

सर्वाम्भसाम्of all waters

निधिम्ocean; treasure-store

भीमम्terrible, fearsome

मूर्तिमन्तम्embodied, having form

झषायुतम्filled with fishes

चन्द्रोदयेat moonrise

विवर्धन्तम्increasing, swelling

अप्लवःwithout a boat/raft

संस्तितीर्षसिyou wish/intend to cross

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

ocean/sea (samudra implied)

moonrise (candrodaya)

fish/aquatic creatures (jhaṣa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns against rash, means-less ambition: attempting a vast, dangerous task without proper support (a ‘boat’) is folly. Ethical discernment includes recognizing limits, choosing appropriate means, and not mistaking bravado for true capability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya uses a vivid simile: crossing a terrifying, swelling ocean at moonrise with no boat. He is characterizing someone’s intention as nearly impossible and dangerously overconfident, emphasizing the peril and imprudence of the attempt.