Shloka 68

बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account

On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics

Devanagari script

ऊचुश्नैनं तथा वाक्यं मानुषाणां त्वमी श्वर:

Transliteration

ūcuḥ śnainaṃ tathā vākyaṃ mānuṣāṇāṃ tvam īśvaraḥ

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଏହିପରି ସେମାନେ ତାହାଙ୍କୁ ଧୀରେ ଧୀରେ ଏହି ବଚନ କହିଲେ—“ତୁମେ ମନୁଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କର ପ୍ରଭୁ।”

Word by Word

• ऊचुः: they said
• ऊचुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (एतद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• वाक्यम्: speech, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मानुषाणाम्: of humans
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• ईश्वरः: lord, master
• ईश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• īśvara (the addressed lord/sovereign)
• mānuṣāḥ (human beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line underscores the recognition of legitimate authority: a ruler (īśvara) is acknowledged as the governing lord of human society, implying responsibility to uphold dharma and protect people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma reports that certain people addressed a person directly, speaking words of acclaim and identifying him as the ‘lord of humans,’ indicating public recognition or formal praise of his sovereignty.