Shloka 2

Śulka, Kanyā, and Dauhitra-Riktha: Discourse on Bride-Price and Inheritance Rights (शुल्क-कन्या-दौहित्र-रिक्थविचारः)

Devanagari script

स तेन कर्मणा स्पर्थन्‌ पृथिवीं पृथिवीपते । चचार गतभी: प्रीतो लब्धकीर्तिवरो नृप

Transliteration

sa tena karmaṇā spardhan pṛthivīṁ pṛthivīpate | cacāra gatabhīḥ prīto labdhakīrtivaro nṛpa ||

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Wahai penguasa bumi, karena perbuatan itu (tapa) timbul kebanggaan dalam dirinya, dan ia mulai menyaingi orang lain. Wahai Raja, setelah memperoleh kemasyhuran dan anugerah dari gurunya, ia pun mengembara di bumi dengan tanpa takut dan penuh kepuasan.”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कर्मणा: by (his) deed/act
• कर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• स्पर्धन्: competing, vying
• स्पर्धन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पर्ध्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पृथिवीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवीपति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• चचार: wandered, roamed
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गतभीः: fearless (lit. whose fear has gone)
• गतभीः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गतभी
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रीतः: pleased, content
• प्रीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लब्धकीर्तिवरः: having obtained fame and a boon
• लब्धकीर्तिवरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्धकीर्तिवर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the king addressed as Pṛthivīpati/Nṛpa (Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
• the unnamed person being described (saḥ)
• guru (teacher, implied)
• Pṛthivī (the earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Merit and recognition can breed inner pride and rivalry; ethical vigilance is needed so that fame and boons gained through discipline do not turn into competitive arrogance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a person who, after accomplishing a significant act (likely austerity) and receiving fame and a boon from his teacher, becomes self-satisfied and fearless, and begins to roam the earth while developing a competitive attitude toward others.