Shloka 1

Sandhi–Vigraha in Āpada: The Mouse and the Cat (सन्धिविग्रहापदि—मूषकमार्जारसंवादः)

Devanagari script

औपनआक्राता बछ। अर: 2 पजञ्चत्रिशर्दाधिकशततमोब् ध्याय: मर्यादाका पालन करने-करानेवाले कायव्यनामक दस्युकी सदगतिका वर्णन भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । यथा दस्यु: समर्याद: प्रेत्यभावे न नश्यति

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | yathā dasyuḥ samaryādaḥ pretyabhāve na naśyati ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର! ଏଠାରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପଣ୍ଡିତମାନେ ଏକ ପୁରାତନ ଇତିହାସର ଉଦାହରଣ ଦିଅନ୍ତି—ଯେ ଦସ୍ୟୁ ମର୍ଯ୍ୟାଦା ପାଳନ କରେ, ସେ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ପରେ ପରଲୋକରେ ନଶ୍ଟ ହୁଏ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अपि: also; even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite; they adduce
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Lat (present indicative), 3, plural, Parasmaipada

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• इतिहासम्: historical tale; tradition
• इतिहासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• पुरातनम्: ancient
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• यथा: as; how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• दस्युः: robber; bandit
• दस्युः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्यु
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• समर्यादः: observing proper bounds; law-abiding
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्याद
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रेत्य: having died; after departing (this life)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-इ (प्रेत्य)
• Form: absolutive (ktvā-anta/lyap), gerund

• भावे: in the state (here: after-death state)
• भावे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

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

• नश्यति: perishes; is ruined
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्
• Form: Lat (present indicative), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• dasyu (bandit/robber)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a socially condemned person (a dasyu) can avoid a bad post-death fate if he observes maryādā—recognized limits of right conduct—showing that ethical restraint has spiritual consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma introduces an old illustrative story (itihāsa) to explain to Yudhishthira that adherence to moral boundaries can protect one from ruin in the hereafter, setting up a didactic example to follow.