Shloka 8

Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 58 — Saṃjaya’s Audience and Kṛṣṇa’s Deterrent Counsel (संजय-प्रवेशः कृष्णवाक्यं च)

Devanagari script

काज्चनं पादपीठं तु पार्थो मे प्रादिशत्‌ तदा । तदहं पाणिना स्पृष्टवा ततो भूमावुपाविशम्‌

Transliteration

kāñcanaṃ pādapīṭhaṃ tu pārtho me prādiśat tadā | tad ahaṃ pāṇinā spṛṣṭvā tato bhūmāv upāviśam ||

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。「そのときパールタ（アルジュナ）は、私が座るようにと黄金の足台を示した。だが私はそれに手で触れるだけ触れ、のち地に座した。」この一幕は、敬うべき王子の前でのサञ्जयの謙虚さと節度を示し、奢りを退けて質素を選ぶことで礼を尽くしたのである。

Word by Word

• काञ्चनम्: golden
• काञ्चनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पादपीठम्: footstool
• पादपीठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादपीठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• प्रादिशत्: indicated/pointed out
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दिश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• तत्: that (footstool)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• पाणिना: with (my) hand
• पाणिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

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

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• उपाविशम्: I sat down
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + विश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 1st, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• kāñcana-pādapīṭha (golden footstool)
• bhūmi (ground/earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights humility and disciplined conduct: even when offered luxury by a noble host, one may choose simplicity to express respect, detachment, and propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna gestures for Sañjaya to sit on a golden footstool, but Sañjaya only touches it and instead sits on the ground, signaling modesty and deference.