Shloka 20

Devanagari script

धनबुद्धिश्रुतैहीन: केवल तेजसान्वित: । महत प्रार्थयसे नूनं तेनासि हरिण: कृश:

Transliteration

dhanabuddhiśrutaihīnaḥ kevala-tejasānvitaḥ | mahat prārthayase nūnaṃ tenāsi hariṇaḥ kṛśaḥ ||

Translation

Dépourvu de richesse, de discernement et de savoir, mais pourvu seulement de vigueur corporelle, tu as sans doute aspiré à une haute dignité. Ne l’ayant pas obtenue, tu es devenu livide et ton corps se consume.

Word by Word

• धन: by wealth
• धन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• बुद्धि: by intellect
• बुद्धि: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• श्रुतैः: by learning/knowledge (scriptural learning)
• श्रुतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• हीनः: devoid (of)
• हीनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• केवलम्: only/merely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल

• तेजसा: by vigor/energy
• तेजसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अन्वितः: endowed (with)
• अन्वितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महत्: great (thing)
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रार्थयसे: you request/seek
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रार्थय् (प्र + अर्थय्)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Ātmanepada

• नूनम्: surely/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम्

• तेन: therefore/by that
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• असि: you are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Second, Singular

• हरिणः: pale/yellowish (lit. tawny/deer-colored)
• हरिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृशः: emaciated/thin
• कृशः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Mere physical power (tejas) without the supports of resources, sound judgment, and learning is insufficient for attaining high aims; frustrated ambition can lead to decline, so one should cultivate balanced qualifications and right effort.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa addresses someone who appears pale and emaciated, inferring that the person sought a lofty position relying mainly on bodily strength while lacking wealth, intellect, and learning, and that failure has caused visible deterioration.