Shloka 7

Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation

Sumitra Itihāsa Begins

Devanagari script

भीष्मजीने कहा--दूसरोंको मान देनेवाले महाराज! भरतनन्दन! पहले इन्द्रप्रस्थमें (राजसूययज्ञके समय) भाइयोंसहित तुम्हारी वैसी अदभुत श्री-सम्पत्ति

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca—parān mānayitā rājan bharatanandana! pūrvam indraprasthe rājasūyayajñasamaye bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ tava tādṛśīm adbhutāṃ śrī-sampattiṃ, sā parama-uttamā sabhāṃ ca samṛddhiṃ ca dṛṣṭvā santapto duryodhanaḥ kaurava-sabhāyāṃ niṣaṇṇaḥ pituḥ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya gāḍhāṃ cintāṃ prakaṭayām āsa—sarvāṃ manovyathāṃ kathayām āsa. sabhāyāṃ sa yad avadat tat sarvaṃ śṛṇu. śrutvā hi dhṛtarāṣṭro duryodhana-vacas tadā, abravīt karṇa-sahitaṃ duryodhanam idaṃ vacaḥ.

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଅନ୍ୟଙ୍କୁ ସମ୍ମାନ ଦେଇଥିବା ମହାରାଜ, ଭରତବଂଶର ଆନନ୍ଦ! ପୂର୍ବେ ରାଜସୂୟ ଯଜ୍ଞ ସମୟରେ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରପ୍ରସ୍ଥରେ ଭାଇମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ତୁମର ସେଇ ଅଦ୍ଭୁତ ରାଜଶ୍ରୀ, ପରମ ଉତ୍ତମ ସଭା ଓ ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଦେଖି ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନ ମନେମନେ ଦଗ୍ଧ ହୋଇଥିଲା। ସେ କୁରୁସଭାରେ ବସି ପିତା ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରଙ୍କୁ ନିଜ ଗଭୀର ଚିନ୍ତା ପ୍ରକାଶ କରି, ମନର ସମସ୍ତ ବ୍ୟଥା କହିଶୁଣାଇଲା। ସଭାରେ ସେ ଯାହା କହିଥିଲା, ସେସବୁ ଶୁଣ। ତାପରେ ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ର ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନର କଥା ଶୁଣି, କର୍ଣ୍ଣ ସହିତ ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନକୁ ଏଭଳି କହିଲେ।

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), परस्मैपद-भाव, —, —, —

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि
• Form: निपात

• धृतराष्ट्रः: Dhritarashtra
• धृतराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्योधन-वचः: Duryodhana's words/speech
• दुर्योधन-वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then/at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कर्ण-सहितम्: together with Karna
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दुर्योधनम्: to Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira (implied by address: Bharatanandana, king who honors others)
• Indraprastha
• Rajasuya sacrifice
• Pandava brothers
• Duryodhana
• Kuru/Kaurava assembly
• Dhritarashtra
• Karna
• royal assembly hall (Sabhā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how envy and wounded pride arise from comparing oneself to another’s prosperity, and how such inner agitation—if indulged—spills into public counsel and political decisions, becoming a seed of wider conflict. It implicitly commends the opposite disposition: honoring others and remaining steady amid others’ success.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma frames a flashback: after seeing the Pandavas’ grandeur at Indraprastha during the Rajasuya, Duryodhana becomes distressed and, in the Kuru court, confides his anxiety to Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra then responds to Duryodhana in the presence of Karna.