Shloka 17

Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

कृत्वा कार्यमकार्य वा तुष्टिमेषां प्रयच्छति । त॑ पुत्रपशुसम्पन्नं व्यासक्तमनसं नरम्‌

Transliteration

kṛtvā kāryam akārya vā tuṣṭim eṣāṃ prayacchati | taṃ putrapaśusampannaṃ vyāsaktamanasaṃ naram ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Qu’il fasse ce qui doit être fait ou ce qui ne doit pas l’être, il ne cherche qu’à obtenir leur satisfaction. Un tel homme — riche de fils et de bétail — devient celui dont l’esprit est lié par l’attachement.»

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• कार्यम्: what ought to be done; duty
• कार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकार्यम्: what ought not to be done; improper act
• अकार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• तुष्टिम्: satisfaction; contentment
• तुष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• एषाम्: of these (people)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• प्रयच्छति: gives; bestows
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that (one); him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुत्रपशुसम्पन्नम्: endowed with sons and cattle
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रपशुसम्पन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यासक्तमनसम्: whose mind is attached; mentally clinging
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यासक्तमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नरम्: man
• नरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma warns that craving others’ approval can drive a person to perform both rightful and wrongful acts; prosperity in family and wealth can intensify attachment, binding the mind and weakening ethical discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma continues a moral analysis of conduct and motivation, describing a type of person who prioritizes pleasing dependents or associates, even at the cost of dharma, due to strong attachment rooted in household prosperity.