Shloka 8

परिक्षिद्वृत्तान्तप्रश्नः

Inquiry into Parīkṣit’s Conduct and the Beginnings of His Downfall

Devanagari script

छेत्स्यतेडल्पावशिष्टत्वादेतदप्यचिरादिव । ततस्तु पतितारोअत्र गतें व्यक्तमधोमुखा:,“उसका स्वल्प भाग शेष है, वह भी बात-की-बातमें कट जायगा। फिर तो आपलोग नीचे मुँह किये निश्चय ही इस गड्ढेमें गिर जायँगे

Transliteration

chetsyate 'lpāvaśiṣṭatvād etad apy acirād iva | tatas tu patitāro 'tra gate vyaktam adhomukhāḥ ||

Translation

“याचा फार थोडा भाग उरला असल्याने हेही लवकरच तुटून जाईल. मग ते तुटताच तुम्ही सर्वजण खाली तोंड करून निश्चयच या खड्ड्यात पडाल.”

Word by Word

छेत्स्यतेwill be cut

अल्पावशिष्टत्वात्because of having only a small remainder

एतत्this (thing)

अपिalso/even

अचिरात्soon, in a short time

इवas if/indeed (comparative particle)

ततःthen/thereafter

तुbut/indeed

पतितारःfallers; those who will fall

अत्रhere, in this place

गतेwhen (it is) gone; upon departure

व्यक्तम्clearly, certainly

अधोमुखाःwith faces downward; headlong

Speaker

तक्षक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Takṣaka

a pit (garta/kūpa implied)

a remaining support/portion (implied object to be cut)

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?

A warning about imminent collapse: when a support is nearly gone, disaster follows quickly. Ethically, it underscores the need for vigilance and timely action when danger signs are evident.

What is happening in the narrative?

Takṣaka issues a stark prediction: the remaining part of something supporting safety is about to be severed, and once it gives way, those present will inevitably tumble into the pit, headfirst.