Shloka 2

Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ

Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । वासवस्य च संवादं शुकस्य च महात्मन:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | vāsavasya ca saṃvādaṃ śukasya ca mahātmanaḥ |

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Yudhiṣṭhira, ici encore on cite un précédent ancien : le vieux récit du dialogue entre Vāsava (Indra) et Śuka, le perroquet à la grande âme.»

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अपि: also; even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite; they adduce (as an example)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इतिहासम्: story; historical account
• इतिहासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरातनम्: ancient; old
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वासवस्य: of Vasava (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• संवादम्: dialogue; conversation
• संवादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शुकस्य: of Shuka (the parrot/sage Shuka)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Vāsava (Indra)
• Śuka (the parrot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma frames his instruction through an authoritative precedent: ethical guidance is strengthened by citing an ancient itihāsa, especially a dialogue involving a deity (Indra) and a noble being (Śuka), implying that dharma is clarified through tested exemplars.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma announces that, to illustrate the point under discussion, he will recount an old story—specifically the conversation between Indra (Vāsava) and the great-souled parrot Śuka—setting up a didactic episode to follow.