Shloka 99

Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154

Devanagari script

चिताधूमेन नीलेन संरज्यन्ते च पादपा: । श्मशाने च निराहारा: प्रतिनर्दन्ति देहिन:

Transliteration

citādhūmena nīlena saṃrajyante ca pādapāḥ | śmaśāne ca nirāhārāḥ pratinardanti dehinaḥ ||

Translation

ଚିତାର ନୀଳାଭ କଳା ଧୂଆଁରେ ଏଠାର ଗଛମାନେ ସେହି ରଙ୍ଗରେ ରଞ୍ଜିତ ହୋଇଯାଇଛନ୍ତି; ଏବଂ ଶ୍ମଶାନରେ ନିରାହାର ଜୀବମାନେ—ପ୍ରେତ-ପିଶାଚାଦି—ପ୍ରତିଧ୍ୱନିରେ ଗର୍ଜନ କରୁଛନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• चिताधूमेन: by the smoke of the funeral pyre
• चिताधूमेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिताधूम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नीलेन: dark/blue (in color)
• नीलेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• संरज्यन्ते: are being dyed/colored
• संरज्यन्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रञ्ज्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada, Passive/Reflexive (Atmanepada usage)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पादपाः: trees
• पादपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• श्मशाने: in the cremation-ground
• श्मशाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• निराहाराः: without food; fasting
• निराहाराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराहार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रतिनर्दन्ति: roar; bellow; cry out
• Type: Verb
• Root: नर्द्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• देहिनः: embodied beings
• देहिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

गृध्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• गृध्र (vulture, speaker)
• चितā (funeral pyre)
• श्मशान (cremation-ground)
• पादप (trees)
• देहिन (embodied beings; contextually pretas/piśācas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical and contemplative force of mortality: the cremation-ground’s smoke stains even the surrounding trees, reminding one that death’s presence permeates the world. Such imagery urges detachment, sobriety, and a dharmic awareness of impermanence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The vulture describes a cremation-ground scene: smoke from pyres has darkened the trees, and uncanny, hungerless beings (understood in context as restless spirits) are making loud, echoing cries—an atmosphere of dread and inauspiciousness.