Shloka 36

Adhyāya 136: Yavakrī–Bharadvāja Saṃvāda and the Bāladhī–Dhanuṣākṣa Gāthā

Arrogance, Boons, and Nimitta

Devanagari script

“ब्रह्म! यह क्या है? आप क्या करना चाहते हैं? आप प्रयत्न तो महान्‌ कर रहे हैं, परंतु यह व्यर्थ है! ।। इन्द्र रवाच बन्धिष्ये सेतुना गड़ां सुख: पन्‍था भविष्यति | क्लिश्यते हि जनस्तात तरमाण: पुन: पुन:,इन्द्र बोले--तात! मैं गंगाजीपर पुल बाँधूँगा। इससे पार जानेके लिये सुखद मार्ग बन जायगा; क्योंकि पुलके न होनेसे इधर आने-जानेवाले लोगोंको बार-बार तैरनेका कष्ट उठाना पड़ता है

Transliteration

indra uvāca—bandhiṣye setunā gaṅgāṃ sukhaḥ panthā bhaviṣyati | kliśyate hi janas tāta taramāṇaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

Indra said: “Dear one, I shall bind the Gaṅgā with a bridge. Then there will be an easy path for crossing; for without a bridge, people suffer hardship again and again, forced to swim each time they go back and forth.”

Word by Word

• बन्धिष्ये: I will bind / construct
• बन्धिष्ये: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), 1st, singular, आत्मनेपद

• सेतुना: with a bridge
• सेतुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• गङ्गाम्: the Ganga (river)
• गङ्गाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• सुखः: easy, pleasant
• सुखः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पन्थाः: path, way
• पन्थाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), 3rd, singular, परस्मैपद

• क्लिश्यते: is afflicted / suffers
• क्लिश्यते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), 3rd, singular, आत्मनेपद

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• जनः: people, the public
• जनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तात: dear one / son (vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• तरमाणः: crossing, swimming across
• तरमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Gaṅgā (river)
• Setu (bridge)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is not only ritual or personal virtue; it also includes compassionate, practical action that reduces the suffering of many. Creating a safe, easy crossing is presented as a righteous, welfare-oriented deed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra responds to a question about his intention by declaring that he will build a bridge over the Gaṅgā so that travelers need not repeatedly endure the hardship of swimming across.