Shloka 23

Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)

Devanagari script

अप्रमत्तेन ते भाव्यं सदा प्रति पुरन्दरम्‌

Transliteration

apramattena te bhāvyaṃ sadā prati purandaram

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「常に油断なく自らを律し、いつもプランダラ（インドラ）に対して心を向けて警戒せよ—すなわち、人の決意を呑み込んでしまうほどの強大な力に抗して、である。」

Word by Word

• अप्रमत्तेन: with vigilance; by being unheedful-less (careful)
• अप्रमत्तेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमत्त (प्रमद् धातु से क्त; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ते: for you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• भाव्यम्: should be (so); must act/behave
• भाव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू धातु (भाव्यत्/तव्यत्-प्रत्यय; भाव्य)
• Form: Obligative (gerundive: ‘should be/done’), —, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• प्रति: towards; in relation to
• प्रति: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• पुरन्दरम्: Purandara (Indra)
• पुरन्दरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरन्दर (इन्द्र-नाम)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Purandara (Indra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Maintain constant vigilance and avoid negligence; ethical steadiness requires sustained alertness against powerful temptations or destabilizing forces symbolized by ‘Purandara’ (Indra).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is instructing the listener with a concise injunction: one must always act with careful attention and preparedness, framing the counsel in relation to Purandara (Indra) as a figure of formidable power.