Shloka 5

Devanagari script

पूर्वण वदनेनाहमिन्द्रत्वमनुशास्मि ह । उत्तरेण त्वया सार्थ रमाम्यहमनिन्दिते

Transliteration

pūrveṇa vadanenāham indratvam anuśāsmi ha | uttareṇa tvayā sārtha ramāmy aham anindite ||

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Dengan mulut yang menghadap ke timur aku menetapkan titah tentang kedaulatan Indra; dengan mulut yang menghadap ke utara, wahai yang tiada cela, aku bersuka dalam berbicara denganmu.”

Word by Word

• पूर्वेण: by the eastern (one)
• पूर्वेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वदनेन: by (the) mouth/face
• वदनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• इन्द्रत्वम्: the status of Indra, Indra-hood
• इन्द्रत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनुशास्मि: I instruct/ordain
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-शास्
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• उत्तरेण: by the northern (one)
• उत्तरेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• त्वया: with you / by you
• त्वया: Saha
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• सार्थम्: together, in company
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्थम्

• रमामि: I delight / I enjoy
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम्
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• अनिन्दिते: O blameless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिन्दित
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Indra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as ordered instruction: authority and governance (symbolized by Indra’s office) are to be regulated through proper injunctions, while ethical discourse is also sustained through respectful, pleasing dialogue with a worthy interlocutor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma speaks in a stylized, symbolic manner, describing himself as addressing different matters through different ‘faces’ oriented to directions: one aspect of his speech issues rulings about sovereignty, while another aspect enjoys conversation with the addressed ‘blameless’ listener.