Shloka 4

ततो5नयत्‌ कुण्जरत्वं व्याप्रं तमृषिसत्तम: । महामेघनिभं दृष्टवा स भीतो हाभवद्‌ गज:,तब उन मुनिश्रेष्ने उस बाघको हाथी बना दिया। उस महामेघके समान हाथीको देखकर वह जंगली हाथी भयभीत होकर भाग गया

tato ’nayad kuñjaratvaṁ vyāghraṁ tam ṛṣisattamaḥ | mahāmeghanibhaṁ dṛṣṭvā sa bhīto hābhavad gajaḥ ||

પછી તે મુનિશ્રેષ્ઠે તે વાઘને હાથી બનાવી દીધો. મહામેઘ સમાન વિશાળ અને ઘેરા હાથીને જોઈ જંગલી હાથી ભયભીત થઈને ભાગી ગયો.

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
अनयत्led, brought
अनयत्:
TypeVerb
Rootनी
Formलङ्, past (imperfect), 3rd, singular, परस्मैपद
कुञ्जरत्वम्elephant-hood, the state of being an elephant
कुञ्जरत्वम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकुञ्जरत्व
Formneuter, accusative, singular
व्याघ्रम्the tiger
व्याघ्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootव्याघ्र
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
तम्him/that (one)
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
ऋषिसत्तमःthe best of sages
ऋषिसत्तमः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऋषिसत्तम
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
महामेघनिभम्like a great cloud
महामेघनिभम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहामेघनिभ
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), active, same as main verb subject
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
भीतःfrightened
भीतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootभीत
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
अभवत्became, was
अभवत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
Formलङ्, past (imperfect), 3rd, singular, परस्मैपद
गजःthe elephant
गजः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगज
Formmasculine, nominative, singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma (speaker)
ṛṣisattama (a foremost sage)
V
vyāghra (tiger)
G
gaja (elephant)
M
mahāmegha (great cloud, as simile)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how dharmic restraint can be achieved through the moral-spiritual authority of a sage: instead of allowing violence to proceed, the seer’s power redirects the situation so that harm is avoided. It points to tapas used for protection and the upholding of order rather than for cruelty.

Bhishma narrates that a foremost sage changes a tiger into an elephant. When a wild elephant sees this huge, cloud-like elephant, it becomes afraid and runs away—showing how the sage’s intervention prevents further danger.