Shloka 22

- नियन्तुं न हि शक्‍्यस्त्वं भेदतो धनमिच्छसि । यस्मात्‌ तस्मात्‌ सुप्रतीक हस्तित्वं समवाप्स्यसि,'सुप्रतीक! तुम्हें वशमें करना असम्भव हो रहा है और तुम भेदभावके कारण ही बँटवारा करके धन लेना चाहते हो, इसलिये तुम्हें हाथीकी योनिमें जन्म लेना पड़ेगा”

niyantuṁ na hi śakyas tvaṁ bhedato dhanam icchasi | yasmāt tasmāt supratīka hastitvaṁ samavāpsyasi ||

Kāśyapa said: “You cannot be restrained; and, driven by divisive thinking, you insist on taking wealth only by partition. Therefore, Supratīka, you shall attain the state of an elephant (be born in an elephant’s womb).” The verse frames an ethical consequence: an ungovernable disposition and insistence on separation for gain lead to a fall into a lower, instinct-driven mode of existence.

नियन्तुम्to restrain/control
नियन्तुम्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootनि-यम् (धातु)
Formतुमुन् (infinitive)
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
शक्यःpossible/able (to be done)
शक्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भेदतःby division/through separation
भेदतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतसिल्-प्रत्यय (ablatival adverb)
धनम्wealth
धनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इच्छसिyou desire/want
इच्छसि:
TypeVerb
Rootइष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
यस्मात्because/from which (reason)
यस्मात्:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootयद् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular
तस्मात्therefore/from that
तस्मात्:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular
सुप्रतीकO Supratīka (proper name; lit. 'having a fine face/appearance')
सुप्रतीक:
TypeNoun
Rootसुप्रतीक (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
हस्तित्वम्elephant-hood; the state of being an elephant
हस्तित्वम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहस्ति + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
समवाप्स्यसिyou will attain/obtain
समवाप्स्यसि:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-अव-आप् (धातु)
FormFuture (लृट्), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

कश्यप उवाच

कश्यप (Kaśyapa)
सुप्रतीक (Supratīka)
हस्ती-योनि (elephant birth/elephant state)

Educational Q&A

Uncontrolled impulses and divisive greed (seeking wealth through separation and contention) invite adverse consequences; self-restraint and non-partisanship are implied ethical ideals.

The sage Kaśyapa addresses Supratīka, declaring him impossible to restrain and, because he seeks wealth through division, pronounces that he will be born as an elephant—an instance of a curse leading to transformation.