Shloka 16

Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ

Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra

Devanagari script

तमेवं शुभकर्माणं शुकं परमधार्मिकम्‌ | विजानन्नपि तां प्रीतिं पप्रच्छ बलसूदन:

Transliteration

tam evaṁ śubhakarmāṇaṁ śukaṁ paramadhārmikam | vijānann api tāṁ prītiṁ papraccha balasūdanaḥ ||

Translation

ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಶುಭಕರ್ಮನಿರತನಾದ ಪರಮಧಾರ್ಮಿಕ ಶುಕನ ಆ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯನ್ನು ತಿಳಿದಿದ್ದರೂ ಬಲಸೂದನ ಇಂದ್ರನು ಅವನನ್ನು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದನು—“ಈ ವೃಕ್ಷದ ಮೇಲಿನ ನಿನ್ನ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಎಷ್ಟು?”

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• शुभकर्माणम्: of auspicious deeds
• शुभकर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभकर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शुकम्: Śuka (the sage)
• शुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परमधार्मिकम्: supremely righteous
• परमधार्मिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमधार्मिक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विजानन्: knowing
• विजानन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even/though
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रीतिम्: affection, love
• प्रीतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-छ् (पृच्छ्)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Past (perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बलसूदनः: Balasūdana (slayer of Bala; Indra)
• बलसूदनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलसूदन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Shuka (the parrot)
• Indra (Balasudana)
• Bala (as referenced in the epithet)
• Tree (vṛkṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when one believes the truth is already known, dharmic understanding is refined through respectful questioning. The verse frames love (prīti) and righteousness (dharma) as qualities worth examining carefully, not merely assuming.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that Indra, called Balasudana, approaches the virtuous parrot Shuka. Though Indra already knows about Shuka’s affection toward the tree, he still asks Shuka about it—setting up a moral discussion about devotion, gratitude, and steadfastness.