Shloka 11

Sandhi–Vigraha in Āpada: The Mouse and the Cat (सन्धिविग्रहापदि—मूषकमार्जारसंवादः)

Devanagari script

दस्यव ऊचु: मुहूर्तदेशकालज्ञ: प्राज्ञ: शूरो दृढब्रतः । ग्रामणीर्भव नो मुख्य: सर्वेषामेव सम्मत:,डाकू बोले--तुम देश, काल और मुहूर्तके ज्ञाता, विद्वान, शूरवीर और दृढ़प्रतिज्ञ हो; इसलिये हम सब लोगोंकी सम्मतिसे तुम हमारे सरदार हो जाओ

Transliteration

dasyava ūcuḥ: muhūrtadeśakālajñaḥ prājñaḥ śūro dṛḍhavrataḥ | grāmaṇīr bhava no mukhyaḥ sarveṣām eva sammataḥ ||

Translation

ចោរប្លន់ទាំងនោះបាននិយាយថា៖ «អ្នកជាអ្នកដឹងច្បាស់អំពីទីកន្លែង ពេលវេលា និងខណៈសមរម្យ; អ្នកមានប្រាជ្ញា ក្លាហាន និងមានពាក្យសច្ចៈមាំមួន។ ដូច្នេះ ដោយការយល់ព្រមរបស់យើងទាំងអស់ សូមក្លាយជាមេដឹកនាំរបស់យើង—ជាអ្នកដែលគ្រប់គ្នាទទួលស្គាល់»។

Word by Word

दस्यवःrobbers/bandits

ऊचुःsaid

मुहूर्तदेशकालज्ञःknower of the proper moment, place, and time

प्राज्ञःwise, intelligent

शूरःbrave, heroic

दृढव्रतःfirm in vow, steadfast

ग्रामणीःleader, chief

भवbe (become)

नःof us / our

मुख्यःprincipal, foremost

सर्वेषाम्of all

एवindeed, certainly

सम्मतःapproved, agreed upon

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

dasyavaḥ (bandits/robbers)

grāmaṇī (chief/leader—role)

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?

Even a morally compromised group recognizes the practical virtues required for leadership—discernment of time and place, wisdom, courage, and steadfastness. The verse highlights that effective leadership is grounded in competence and collective consent, though the ethical use of such qualities remains decisive for dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of bandits addresses a capable person and, impressed by his strategic judgment and personal qualities, urges him—by unanimous agreement—to become their chief and principal leader.