Shloka 33

Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)

Devanagari script

ददात्यस्मद्विधो<मात्यो बुद्धिसाहाय्यमापदि । वायसस्त्वेष मे राजन्‌ ननु कार्याभिसंहित:,मेरे जैसा मन्त्री आपत्तिकालमें बुद्धिद्वारा सहायता देता है। राजन्‌! मेरा यह कौआ भी आपके कार्यसाधनमें संलग्न था; किंतु मारा गया (सम्भव है मेरी भी वही दशा हो)

Transliteration

dadāty asmad-vidho ’mātyo buddhi-sāhāyyam āpadi | vāyasas tv eṣa me rājan nanu kāryābhisaṁhitaḥ ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「私のような大臣は、災厄の時にこそ、助言と明晰な判断によって支えとなる。王よ、この私の烏でさえ、まことにそなたの目的を成し遂げるために働いていた——だが殺されてしまった（そして同じ運命が私をも待つのかもしれぬ）。」

Word by Word

ददातिgives

अस्मद्विधःone like me

अमात्यःminister

बुद्धि-साहाय्यम्help by counsel/intelligence

आपदिin calamity

वायसःcrow

तुbut/indeed

एषःthis

मेmy/of me

राजन्O king

ननुindeed/surely

कार्य-अभिसंहितःengaged in the task/purposefully employed for the work

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

King (rājan)

crow (vāyasa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In crisis, a ruler’s strength depends on wise counsel: a true minister supports the king with intelligence and strategy, and loyalty to the king’s purpose may demand personal risk.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma speaks to the king, emphasizing his role as a counselor in times of danger. He points to his crow—previously involved in the king’s work—now killed, using it as an ominous sign and a reflection on his own possible fate.