Shloka 31

Brāhmaṇa-māhātmya: Tārkṣya’s instruction on tapas, satya, and svadharma

Chapter 182

Devanagari script

सो>हमैश्वर्यमोहेन मदाविष्टो युधिष्ठिर । पतित: प्रतिसम्बुद्धस्त्वां तु सम्बोधयाम्यहम्‌,युधिष्ठिर! इसी तरह मैं भी ऐश्वर्यके मोहसे मदोन्मत्त हो गया और मुझे उस समय चेत हुआ, जब कि मेरा अधः:पतन हो चुका। अतः अब तुम्हें सचेत कर रहा हूँ

Transliteration

so 'ham aiśvarya-moheṇa madāviṣṭo yudhiṣṭhira | patitaḥ pratisaṃbuddhas tvāṃ tu saṃbodhayāmy aham ||

Translation

“So it was with me, O Yudhiṣṭhira: deluded by the fascination of power and prosperity, I became intoxicated with pride. I came to my senses only after I had already fallen. Therefore, having awakened through that downfall, I now seek to awaken you.”

Word by Word

• {"so 'ham": 'I too

• even I (in the same way)', 'aiśvarya': 'lordship, sovereignty, wealth, worldly power', 'moha': 'delusion, infatuation, bewilderment', 'aiśvarya-moheṇa': 'through delusion caused by power/wealth', 'mada': 'pride, arrogance, intoxication (of prosperity)', 'madāviṣṭaḥ': 'overcome/possessed by pride

• intoxicated', 'patitaḥ': 'fallen

• morally/spiritually degraded', 'pratisaṃbuddhaḥ': 'fully awakened again

• come back to awareness', 'tvām': 'you', 'saṃbodhayāmi': 'I awaken, admonish, bring to awareness', 'aham': 'I', 'yudhiṣṭhira': 'O Yudhiṣṭhira (vocative address)'}

Speaker

सर्प उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Sarpa (the serpent speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly power and prosperity can intoxicate the mind and produce arrogance; true clarity often comes only after a fall. The verse urges timely self-awareness and humility—learn from another’s downfall rather than waiting for one’s own.

What is happening in the narrative?

A serpent addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, confessing that he too was once deluded by sovereignty and pride. Having regained awareness only after his downfall, he now warns Yudhiṣṭhira to become vigilant and not be carried away by the intoxication of power.