Shloka 3

कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च

The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion

Devanagari script

शिबिप्रभूतयो राजन्‌ राजान: शरणागतान्‌ | परिपाल्य महात्मान: संसिद्धि परमां गता:

Transliteration

śibiprabhūtayo rājan rājānaḥ śaraṇāgatān | paripālya mahātmānaḥ saṃsiddhi paramāṃ gatāḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Ô roi, des souverains tels que Śibi et d’autres—monarques à la grande âme—protégèrent ceux qui venaient à eux chercher refuge ; et, en maintenant ce devoir d’asile, ils atteignirent la perfection suprême.»

Word by Word

• शिबि-प्रभूतयः: Śibi and others (many like Śibi)
• शिबि-प्रभूतयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबि-प्रभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शरण-आगतान्: those who have come for refuge
• शरण-आगतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण-आगत (कृदन्त; √गम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परिपाल्य: having protected
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√पाल्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• महात्मानः: great-souled ones
• महात्मानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संसिद्धिम्: perfection, accomplishment
• संसिद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• परमाम्: supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गताः: went/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (कृदन्त; गत)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śibi
• rājānaḥ (kings)
• śaraṇāgatāḥ (refuge-seekers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s dharma includes unwavering protection of those who seek refuge (śaraṇāgata). Upholding this obligation is presented as a direct path to the highest moral and spiritual fulfillment (paramā saṃsiddhi).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing the king, cites exemplary rulers such as Śibi to show that great kings safeguarded supplicants who came for asylum, and through this righteous conduct they attained supreme perfection.