Shloka 27

कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च

The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion

Devanagari script

सो<5पश्यत्‌ तरुखण्डेषु मेघनीलवनस्पतिम्‌

Transliteration

so 'paśyat tarukhaṇḍeṣu megha-nīla-vanaspatim |

Translation

ಅಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನು ಮರಗಳ ಗುಂಪಿನ ನಡುವೆ ಮেঘದಂತೆ ನೀಲವರ್ಣದ, ದಟ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಹರಡಿದ ಮಹಾವೃಕ್ಷವನ್ನು ಕಂಡನು. ನೆರಳು, ವಾಸಸ್ಥಾನ ಮತ್ತು ಫಲಗಳ ಆಸೆಯಿಂದ ಅನೇಕ ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳು ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಆಶ್ರಯ ಪಡೆದಿದ್ದವು—ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಕರ್ತನು ಪರೋಪಕಾರಾರ್ಥವೇ ಆ ಸಜ್ಜನಸಮಾನ ಮಹಾವೃಕ್ಷವನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಿದಂತೆ.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपश्यत्: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तरुखण्डेषु: among/in the clumps of trees
• तरुखण्डेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरुखण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• मेघनीलवनस्पतिम्: a tree (lord of plants) dark-blue like a cloud
• मेघनीलवनस्पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघनीलवनस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• a great cloud-dark tree (vanaspati)
• birds (vihangāḥ)
• the Creator (Vidhātṛ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical ideal through a natural image: the truly noble exist for others’ welfare—like a great tree that offers shade and fruit without discrimination. It commends selfless giving (paropakāra) as a mark of saintliness and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s discourse, a figure observes a dense, cloud-colored great tree in a grove. Birds gather there seeking shade, residence, and fruit. The scene is framed as if the Creator made the tree specifically to benefit others, setting up a moral analogy.