Shloka 7

Devanagari script

अवशिष्टमल्पकाल मन्वाना: पुरुषर्षभा:

Transliteration

avaśiṣṭam alpākālaṃ manvānāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Thinking that only a little time remained, those bull-like men—foremost among persons—made their resolve accordingly, mindful of the urgency of the moment.

Word by Word

• अवशिष्टम्: remaining, left over
• अवशिष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवशिष्ट (√शिष्/शेष् + अव-; क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अल्पकालम्: a short time
• अल्पकालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्पकाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्वानाः: thinking, considering
• मन्वानाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्वान (√मन्; शानच्/आन)
• Form: Present (participle), Plural, Masculine, Nominative

• पुरुषर्षभाः: O bulls among men (best of men)
• पुरुषर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• puruṣarṣabhāḥ (eminent men/heroes)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical urgency: when time is short, the wise and capable act with clarity and resolve, aligning their choices with what must be done rather than delaying through indecision.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator, Vaiśampāyana, describes a group of eminent men who, believing that only a brief time remained, adjust their plans and actions to the pressing circumstances.