Shloka 18

निर्वेदोपदेशः (Nirveda-Upadeśa) — Maṅki’s Dispassion and the Limits of Wealth-Seeking

Devanagari script

चन्दनागुरुमुख्यानि त्वक्पत्राणां वनानि च । तस्मिन्‌ पथि महाराज सेवमानो द्रुतं ययौ,राजन्‌! उसके ऐसा कहनेपर गौतम वहाँसे चल दिया। उसकी सारी थकावट दूर हो चुकी थी। महाराज! मार्गमें तेजपातोंके वनमें, जहाँ चन्दन और अगुरुके वृक्षोंकी प्रधानता थी, विश्राम करता और इच्छानुसार अमृतके समान मधुर फल खाता हुआ वह बड़ी तेजीसे आगे बढ़ता चला गया

Transliteration

candana-aguru-mukhyāni tvak-patrāṇāṁ vanāni ca | tasmin pathi mahārāja sevamāno drutaṁ yayau |

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Wahai raja agung, di sepanjang jalan itu terdapat rimbunan pohon daun bay, tempat kayu cendana dan agaru (gaharu) paling menonjol. Sambil berehat di situ dalam perjalanannya, dia meneruskan langkah dengan pantas ke hadapan.”

Word by Word

चन्दनsandalwood

अगुरुaloeswood (aguru)

मुख्यानिchief, predominant

चन्दनागुरुमुख्यानिhaving sandalwood and aguru as the chief (trees)

त्वक्bark; (here) cinnamon

पत्राणाम्of leaves; (here) of tejapatra (bay leaves)

त्वक्पत्राणाम्of cinnamon and bay-leaves (tejapatra)

वनानिforests, groves

चand

तस्मिन्in that

पथिon the path

महाराजO great king

सेवमानःenjoying/resorting to

द्रुतम्quickly

ययौwent

राजन्O king

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Mahārāja (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)

candana (sandalwood)

aguru (agarwood)

tvakpatra-vanāni (groves of aromatic leaf/bark trees; bay-leaf/tejapatra forests)

patha (the road/path)

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?

The verse uses serene forest imagery to underscore disciplined progress: one may take lawful rest and refreshment on the way, yet continue one’s duty-bound journey without slackening—moving forward with steadiness and purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a traveler proceeding along a route lined with fragrant groves dominated by sandalwood and agaru; he pauses there for respite as he travels, and then continues onward swiftly.