Shloka 7

Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ

Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ वक्षे तथाभूते कोटरेषु चिरोषित: । न जहाति शुको वासं तस्य भक्‍त्या वनस्पते:

Transliteration

tasmin vakṣe tathābhūte koṭareṣu ciroṣitaḥ | na jahāti śuko vāsaṃ tasya bhaktyā vanaspateḥ ||

Translation

ସେ ଗଛଟି ଏମିତି ଅବସ୍ଥାକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ, ତାହାର କୋଟରରେ ଦୀର୍ଘଦିନ ଧରି ବସୁଥିବା ଶୁକ ନିଜ ନିବାସ ଛାଡ଼ିଲା ନାହିଁ। ସେ ଗଛ ପ୍ରତି ଭକ୍ତି ଓ ଆସକ୍ତିରୁ, ଗଛ ଶୁଖିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେଠାରେ ରହିଲା।

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (tree/condition)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वक्षे: in the trunk (hollow/wood)
• वक्षे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• भूते: having become (so), being in that state
• भूते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कोटरेषु: in the hollows/cavities
• कोटरेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• चिरोषितः: having dwelt for a long time
• चिरोषितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर-उषित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• जहाति: abandons, leaves
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (जहाति)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शुकः: the parrot
• शुकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वासम्: dwelling, residence
• वासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of that (tree)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भक्त्या: by devotion/attachment
• भक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वनस्पतेः: of the tree
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• śuka (parrot)
• vanaspati (tree)
• koṭara (tree hollow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic gratitude and loyalty: one should not abandon a benefactor or refuge merely because it has fallen into hardship. True bhakti/affection is tested when the object of support becomes weak.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a parrot that has lived for a long time in the hollows of a tree. Even after the tree becomes withered or damaged, the parrot refuses to leave, staying out of devotion and attachment to the tree that sheltered it.