Shloka 13

उशनसः (शुक्रस्य) चरितम् — The Account of Uśanā (Śukra): Yoga, Grievance, and Pacification

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्नर्थे पुरा गीतं शृणुष्वैकमना नृप । यथा दैत्येन वृत्रेण भ्रष्टैश्व्॒येण चेष्टितम्‌

Transliteration

asminn arthe purā gītaṃ śṛṇuṣvaikamanā nṛpa | yathā daityena vṛtreṇa bhraṣṭaiśvaryeṇa ceṣṭitam ||

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: “Sobre este mismo punto, oh rey, antaño se cantó un relato antiguo—escúchalo con la mente fija en uno solo. Cuenta cómo actuó el Daitya Vṛtra cuando cayó de la soberanía y la prosperidad.”

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अर्थे: matter/topic
• अर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• गीतम्: sung/recited (said)
• गीतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गीता (ppp of √गै/√गाय्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• शृणुष्व: hear/listen
• शृणुष्व: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एकमनाः: single-minded
• एकमनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकमनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यथा: as/how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• दैत्येन: by the Daitya (demon)
• दैत्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वृत्रेण: by Vṛtra
• वृत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• भ्रष्टैश्वर्येण: with (his) lost sovereignty/prosperity
• भ्रष्टैश्वर्येण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रष्ट-ऐश्वर्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

• चेष्टितम्: conduct/effort/behavior
• चेष्टितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टित (ppp of √चेष्ट्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• नर-ईश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vṛtra (Vṛtrāsura)
• Daitya
• nṛpa (the king addressee, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma introduces an old exemplum to illustrate ethical steadiness: even when one is stripped of power and fortune, one should act with composure and disciplined purpose, not with despair or grasping.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma asks the king to listen attentively to an ancient recited account describing how Vṛtra, a Daitya, conducted himself after losing his sovereignty—setting up a moral illustration through Vṛtra’s response to defeat.