Shloka 49

Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)

Devanagari script

कः शूलं तीक्षणमासाद्य सर्वगान्रैर्निषेवते । कः: शिरस्यग्निमाधाय विश्वस्त: स्वपते सुखम्‌,“कौन तीखे शूलके पास जाकर उसे अपने सारे अंगोंमें चुभोना चाहता है? कौन मूर्ख अपने सिरपर आग रखकर बेखटके सुखकी नींद सो रहा है?

Transliteration

kaḥ śūlaṃ tīkṣṇam āsādya sarvāṅgair niṣevate | kaḥ śirasy agnim ādhāya viśvastaḥ svapate sukham ||

Translation

「誰が鋭い槍に近づき、みずから望んでそれを全身に突き立てようとするのか。誰が愚かにも頭上に火を載せ、それでも安らかに、安心しきって眠れるというのか。」

Word by Word

कःwho?

शूलम्a spear/spike; sharp pain

तीक्ष्णम्sharp

आसाद्यhaving approached/reached

सर्वगात्रैःwith all (one's) limbs

निषेवतेresorts to/engages in (touches/uses)

कःwho?

शिरसिon (the) head

अग्निम्fire

आधायhaving placed/put

विश्वस्तःconfident, unafraid, at ease

स्वपतेsleeps

सुखम्happily; in comfort

Speaker

(श्रीरम उवाच

Characters & Entities

śūla (sharp spear/stake)

agni (fire)

śiras (head)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not knowingly embrace harmful causes and then expect peace; wisdom lies in avoiding evident sources of suffering and acting with foresight.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Rāma speaks in rhetorical questions, using vivid metaphors (a sharp spear and fire on the head) to rebuke complacency and to caution against trusting in safety while remaining in a self-created peril.