Shloka 14

Devanagari script

हर्षेण महता5<विष्टो वाक्‍्यं व्याकुललोचन: । तथेमं शकुनिं दृष्टवा विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा,शास्त्रीय विधिसे सत्कार पा उसने बड़े हर्षमें भरकर डबडबायी हुई आँखोंसे कबूतरकी ओर देखकर कहा--

Transliteration

harṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭo vākyam vyākula-locanaḥ | tathā imaṃ śakuniṃ dṛṣṭvā vidhi-dṛṣṭena karmaṇā satkāram cakāra, harṣa-bharād dṛṣṭiḥ sajalā babhūva; kapotaṃ prati nirīkṣya uvāca ||

Translation

ビーシュマは語った。大いなる歓喜に包まれ、目は揺らぎ涙を湛えつつ、彼はその鳥を見つめて言葉を発した。その śakuni（鳥）を見て、聖なる規範に定められた作法のとおりに振る舞い、しかるべきもてなしを捧げたのである。心はダルマへの敬虔と、客人を敬う務めに動かされていた。

Word by Word

हर्षेणwith joy

महताgreat

आविष्टःpossessed/overcome (by)

वाक्यम्speech/words

व्याकुल-लोचनःhaving agitated/tearful eyes

तथाthus/so

इमम्this (one)

शकुनिम्bird (śakuni)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

विधि-दृष्टेनseen/ordained by fate

कर्मणाby (his) act/deed

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

भ

भीष्म (Bhīṣma)

श

शकुनि (śakuni—bird)

क

कपोत (kapota—pigeon/dove, per narrative gloss)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights atithi-dharma: one should honor a guest (even a vulnerable creature seeking refuge) according to righteous injunctions, with sincerity and compassion rather than mere formality.

What is happening in the narrative?

A character, moved with great joy and emotion, sees the bird (śakuni/kapota) and, following scriptural propriety, offers it respectful hospitality, then speaks to it—setting up an ethical episode about duty and protection.