Shloka 17
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving
Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum
Devanagari script
कीट उवाच सर्वत्र निरतो जीव इतश्नापि सुखं मम । चिन्तयामि महाप्राज्ञ तस्मादिच्छामि जीवितुम्
Transliteration
kīṭa uvāca sarvatra nirato jīva itaś cāpi sukhaṃ mama | cintayāmi mahāprājña tasmād icchāmi jīvitum ||
Translation
虫は言った。「賢者よ、命はあらゆるところで絶えず営みを続け、ここにあっても私は私なりの幸福を見いだしている。そう思い巡らすゆえに、偉智の方よ、私はなお生き続けたいのだ。」
Word by Word
कीटःthe worm/insect
कीटः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकीट
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid/spoke
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular
सर्वत्रeverywhere
सर्वत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वत्र
निरतःengaged/occupied
निरतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootनिरत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
जीवःa living being
जीवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजीव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इतःfrom here/thereafter
इतः:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइतः
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
सुखम्happiness/comfort
सुखम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसुख
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
ममof me/my
मम:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
चिन्तयामिI think/consider
चिन्तयामि:
TypeVerb
Rootचिन्त्
FormPresent, 1st, Singular
महाप्राज्ञO great wise one
महाप्राज्ञ:
Sampradana
TypeNoun (vocative used as epithet)
Rootमहाप्राज्ञ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
तस्मात्therefore/from that
तस्मात्:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootतस्मद्
FormAblative, Singular
इच्छामिI desire/wish
इच्छामि:
TypeVerb
Rootइष्
FormPresent, 1st, Singular
जीवितुम्to live
जीवितुम्:
Karma
TypeVerb (infinitive)
Rootजीव्
FormInfinitive (tumun)
Speaker
कीट उवाच
Characters & Entities
K
kīṭa (the insect)M
mahāprājña (addressed wise person, unnamed in this verse)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Even a small creature values life and can find happiness in its own condition; thoughtful reflection leads to affirming life rather than abandoning it.
An insect speaks to a wise interlocutor, explaining that it experiences happiness even in its present state and, after considering this, expresses the wish to continue living.