Shloka 9

Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ

Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra

Devanagari script

तमुदारं महासत्त्वमतिमानुषचेष्टितम्‌ । समदुःखसुखं दृष्टवा विस्मित: पाकशासन:

Transliteration

tam udāraṁ mahāsattvam atimānuṣaceṣṭitam | samaduḥkhasukhaṁ dṛṣṭvā vismitaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ ||

Translation

તે ઉદાર, મહાસત્ત્વવાન, માનવીય મર્યાદાથી પર લાગતી ચેષ્ટાવાળો અને દુઃખ-સુખમાં સમભાવ ધરાવતો તોતો જોઈ પાકશાસન ઇન્દ્ર આશ્ચર્યચકિત થયો.

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उदारम्: noble, generous
• उदारम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महा-सत्त्वम्: of great courage/strength
• महा-सत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-सत्त्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अति-मानुष-चेष्टितम्: having superhuman conduct/behavior
• अति-मानुष-चेष्टितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-मानुष-चेष्टित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सम-दुःख-सुखम्: equal in sorrow and happiness
• सम-दुःख-सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम-दुःख-सुख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• विस्मितः: astonished
• विस्मितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाक-शासनः: Pākaśāsana (Indra)
• पाक-शासनः: Karta
• Type: Noun (Proper epithet)
• Root: पाकशासन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Indra (Pākashāsana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True nobility is shown by steadiness of mind—remaining equal in pleasure and pain—and by conduct grounded in inner virtue (sattva), which even the gods recognize as exceptional.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes Indra observing a remarkably noble being whose extraordinary behavior and equanimity in happiness and sorrow cause Indra to feel wonder and admiration.