Shloka 73

Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances

Devanagari script

अनुज्ञाप्य मृगेन्द्रं तु गोमायुर्नीतिशास्त्रवित्‌ । तेनामर्षेण संतप्त: प्रायमासितुमैच्छत

Transliteration

anujñāpya mṛgendraṃ tu gomāyur nītiśāstravit | tenāmarṣeṇa saṃtaptaḥ prāyam āsitum aicchat ||

Translation

ତାପରେ ନୀତିଶାସ୍ତ୍ରବିଦ୍ ଶିଆଳ ମୃଗେନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ଅନୁମତି ନେଇ, ଅମର୍ଷରେ ସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ହୋଇ, ପ୍ରାୟୋପବେଶ (ଉପବାସ କରି ପ୍ରାଣତ୍ୟାଗ) କରିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କଲା।

Word by Word

• अनुज्ञाप्य: having taken leave (after requesting/obtaining permission)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनुज्ञा (धातु: ज्ञा + अनु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थक अव्ययकृदन्त), कर्तरि, having taken leave / having obtained permission

• मृगेन्द्रम्: the lord of beasts (lion)
• मृगेन्द्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• गोमायुः: the jackal
• गोमायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नीतिशास्त्रवित्: knower of political science/ethics
• नीतिशास्त्रवित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीतिशास्त्रविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तेन: by that / because of that
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अमर्षेण: with indignation/resentment
• अमर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• संतप्तः: tormented/afflicted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संतप् (धातु) / संतप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रायम्: fast unto death (prāya)
• प्रायम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आसितुम्: to undertake (to sit in a fast)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), कर्तरि, to sit/undertake (a vow/fast)

• ऐच्छत्: desired/wished
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• mṛgendra (lion)
• gomāyu (jackal)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Learning in nīti (ethical and political wisdom) is incomplete without inner discipline; resentment (amarṣa) can overpower reason and push one toward harmful extremes like self-destruction. The verse implicitly upholds self-mastery as a key component of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

A jackal, described as knowledgeable in nīti-śāstra, takes leave of the lion (mṛgendra). Burning with indignation, he considers undertaking prāya—fasting unto death—as a response to his wounded pride/resentment.