Shloka 63

Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation

Sumitra Itihāsa Begins

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच एवमुकक्‍्त्वा गता श्रीस्तु ते च सर्वे युधिष्ठिर । दुर्योधनस्तु पितरं भूय एवाब्रवीद्‌ वच:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca evam uktvā gatā śrīs tu te ca sarve yudhiṣṭhira | duryodhanas tu pitaraṃ bhūya evābravīd vacaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma dijo: «Oh Yudhiṣṭhira, tras hablar así, Śrī (la Fortuna) se marchó, y con ella partieron también todas aquellas virtudes. Al oír este relato, Duryodhana se dirigió de nuevo a su padre, diciendo: “Oh vástago de la estirpe de los Kurus, deseo comprender la verdadera naturaleza del śīla (la buena conducta). Dime también el medio por el cual puede alcanzarse.”»

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā), Parasmaipada (usage)

• गता: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीः: Fortune / Lakshmi
• श्रीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• ते: of you / your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूयः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śrī (Lakṣmī/Fortune)
• Duryodhana
• Duryodhana's father (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• Kuru lineage (implied by 'Kauravanandana')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Prosperity (Śrī) is portrayed as inseparable from virtues; when ethical qualities and good conduct decline, fortune departs as well. The verse frames śīla (character) as a foundational value worth seeking and cultivating through proper means.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues narrating to Yudhiṣṭhira: after a prior speech, Śrī and accompanying virtues depart. Hearing this story, Duryodhana turns again to his father and asks to be taught what śīla truly is and how it can be acquired.