Shloka 8

Devanagari script

मुहूर्तमथ संचिन्त्य ब्राह्मणस्तस्य रक्षस: । आभिर्गाथाभिरव्यग्र: प्रश्न प्रतिजगाद ह

Transliteration

muhūrtam atha sañcintya brāhmaṇas tasya rakṣasaḥ | ābhir gāthābhir avyagraḥ praśnaṃ pratijagāda ha ||

Translation

ಅದನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನು ಕ್ಷಣಕಾಲ ಚಿಂತಿಸಿ, ಅವ್ಯಗ್ರನಾಗಿ ಶಾಂತಚಿತ್ತದಿಂದ ಈ ಗಾಥೆಗಳ ಮೂಲಕ ಆ ರಾಕ್ಷಸನ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗೆ ಉತ್ತರಿಸಲು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

• मुहूर्तम्: for a moment
• मुहूर्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• संचिन्त्य: having reflected
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चिन्त्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of that (one), his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• रक्षसः: of the demon (rakshasa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• आभिः: with these
• आभिः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (स्त्री. एतद्-प्रकारः)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• गाथाभिः: with verses/sayings
• गाथाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• अव्यग्रः: unperturbed, calm
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यग्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रश्नम्: the question
• प्रश्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिजगाद: answered, replied
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + गद्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ह: indeed (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• brāhmaṇa
• rākṣasa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical restraint: before responding—especially under pressure—one should reflect briefly and speak with composure. Thoughtful, undisturbed speech is presented as a mark of dharmic conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that a brāhmaṇa, after pausing to think, begins answering a rākṣasa’s question using metrical verses (gāthās), indicating a deliberate and calm reply rather than an impulsive reaction.