Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 51

Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda

Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni

Devanagari script

आकाशाददवरनिं प्राप्तस्ततः स पृथिवीपति: । एतदेव पुनश्नोक्त्वा विवेश धरणीतलम्‌

Transliteration

ākāśād adhaḥ varaṇiṁ prāptas tataḥ sa pṛthivīpatiḥ | etad eva punaś coktvā viveśa dharaṇītalam ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「その王、すなわち大地の主は、天より落ちて地上に至った。さらに同じ裁きの言葉を繰り返すや、彼は大地の中へ沈み込んだ。」

Word by Word

• आकाशात्: from the sky
• आकाशात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अधोवरणिम्: the lower path/track (downward course)
• अधोवरणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधोवरणि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्तः: having reached / having fallen to
• प्राप्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: Kta (past passive participle, used actively), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

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

• पृथिवीपतिः: the lord of the earth (king)
• पृथिवीपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवीपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Ktva (absolutive/gerund)

• विवेश: entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-विश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धरणीतलम्: the surface of the earth / ground
• धरणीतलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणीतल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (Pṛthivīpati)
• Ākāśa (sky)
• Dharaṇī / Pṛthivī (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s authority depends on dharmic judgment; an unjust decision causes loss of status, and stubbornly repeating the same wrong judgment leads to an even deeper fall.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a king who first falls from the sky to the earth, and then—after repeating the same pronouncement—sinks further into the earth, illustrating escalating consequences for unethical rulings.