Shloka 5

Devanagari script

उत्तरां मां दिशं विद्धि दृष्टं सत्रीचापलं च ते । स्थविराणामपि स्त्रीणां बाधते मैथुनज्वर:

Transliteration

uttarāṁ māṁ diśaṁ viddhi dṛṣṭaṁ satrīcāpalaṁ ca te | sthavirāṇām api strīṇāṁ bādhate maithunajvaraḥ ||

Translation

Elle dit : «Sache que je t’indique la direction du nord. Tu as vu de tes propres yeux combien une femme peut être changeante et agitée. Même les femmes âgées sont atteintes par la fièvre du désir charnel ; le tourment né de la convoitise continue de les tourmenter.»

Word by Word

• उत्तराम्: northern (direction)
• उत्तराम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विद्धि: know / understand
• विद्धि: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दृष्टम्: seen (as a fact) / what has been seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सत्री: a woman
• सत्री: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• चापलम्: fickleness / restlessness
• चापलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चापल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• स्थविराणाम्: of the old / aged
• स्थविराणाम्: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थविर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अपि: even / also
• अपि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• बाधते: afflicts / troubles
• बाधते: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: Present, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• मैथुनज्वरः: the fever/torment of sexual union (lust-fever)
• मैथुनज्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथुन + ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the persistence and intensity of kāma (sexual desire), portraying it as a ‘fever’ that can afflict even the elderly; ethically, it functions as a warning about the need for vigilance and self-restraint in matters of desire.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in an instructive mode within the Anuśāsana Parva, addresses his listener with a pointed observation: the listener has already witnessed women’s restlessness, and Bhīṣma reinforces the point by stating that the agitation of sexual craving can trouble even older women.