Shloka 8

कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः

Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative

Devanagari script

इति ब्रुवन्नन्वचचरत्‌ स राजा पृथिवीमिमाम्‌ | दर्पेण महता मत्त: कंचिदन्‍्यमचिन्तयन्‌

Transliteration

iti bruvann anvacacarat sa rājā pṛthivīm imām | darpeṇa mahatā mattaḥ kañcid anyam acintayan |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Hablando así y continuando con aquellas preguntas, el rey vagó por esta tierra. Embriagado por un orgullo inmenso, no pensaba en nadie más, como si no reconociera a persona alguna digna de consideración.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• ब्रुवन्: saying
• ब्रुवन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्वचरत्: wandered/followed along
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इमाम्: this
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दर्पेण: with pride
• दर्पेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महता: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मत्तः: intoxicated, maddened
• मत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक; √मद् से निष्पन्न)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कञ्चित्: anyone (some person)
• कञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अन्यम्: other
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अचिन्तयन्: did not think of / did not consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तय् (धातु; causative of √चिन्त्)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the king (unnamed in this verse)
• earth (pṛthivī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that darpa (arrogant pride) produces a kind of intoxication (mattaḥ) that blocks discernment and empathy. A ruler who stops considering others becomes ethically unmoored, making him prone to adharma and poor governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

After speaking in the described manner, the king continues his course, roaming the earth while questioning/boasting. His immense pride leaves him indifferent to others, suggesting a character state that sets up conflict and moral failure.