Shloka 11

Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)

Devanagari script

ततः स काकमादाय राजान द्रष्टमागमत्‌ | सर्वज्ञोडस्मीति वचन ब्रूवाण: संशितव्रत:

Transliteration

tataḥ sa kākam ādāya rājānaṃ draṣṭum āgamat | sarvajño ’smi iti vacanaṃ brūvāṇaḥ saṃśitavrataḥ |

Translation

ຈາກນັ້ນ ຤ິສີໄດ້ອຸ້ມນົກກາໄປດ້ວຍ ແລ້ວເຂົ້າໄປເຝົ້າພະຣາຊາ. ດ້ວຍການຮັກສາວຣະຕະຢ່າງເຂັ້ມງວດ ທ່ານປະກາດວ່າ «ຂ້າເປັນຜູ້ຮູ້ທຸກຢ່າງ» ແລ້ວເຂົ້າໄປຫາຜູ້ປົກຄອງ—ເພາະໄດ້ຮວບຮວມຄວາມຮູ້ເກືອບທຸກອາຊີບໃນອານາຈັກ ແລະຮູ້ຈາກບ່ອນນັ້ນບ່ອນນີ້ເຖິງເຫດການທີ່ຊັບສິນພະຣາຊາຖືກຂ້າລາຊການຍັກຍອກ.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

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

• काकम्: a crow
• काकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada/Active (usage)

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Infinitive

• आगमत्: came, approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वज्ञः: all-knowing
• सर्वज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्मि: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus, saying
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• वचनम्: speech, statement
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रूवाणः: speaking, saying
• ब्रूवाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संशितव्रतः: one of firm/strict vows
• संशितव्रतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संशितव्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king
• sage (maharshi)
• crow
• royal officials/employees

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse sets up an ethical inquiry into governance: a ruler must be vigilant about misappropriation by officials, and claims of superior knowledge (“I am omniscient”) should be tested against truth and used to uphold justice rather than to impress or dominate.

What is happening in the narrative?

A vow-observing sage arrives to meet the king, bringing a crow. He declares himself omniscient and comes after learning about the kingdom’s occupations and discovering scattered reports of the king’s wealth being stolen by state employees—preparing to confront or advise the king.