Shloka 45

Śrī–Indra–Bali Saṃvāda: The Departure and Fourfold Placement of Lakṣmī

Devanagari script

एवमर्थरनर्थश्व दु:खिता: सर्वजन्तव: । आगमैरपकृष्यन्ते हस्तिपैहस्तिनो यथा

Transliteration

evam artha-anarthau ca duḥkhitāḥ sarva-jantavaḥ | āgamair apakṛṣyante hastipair hastino yathā ||

Translation

ଏହିପରି ଲାଭ ଓ କ୍ଷତି—ଉଭୟରେ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀ ଦୁଃଖିତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି। କେବଳ ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରର ପ୍ରମାଣବାଣୀ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଟାଣି ଧର୍ମପଥକୁ ଆଣେ—ଯେପରି ମହାଉତ ଅଙ୍କୁଶରେ ହାତୀକୁ ନିୟନ୍ତ୍ରଣ କରି ନେଇଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• अर्थ: by/through wealth (gain)
• अर्थ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनर्थैः: by/through misfortunes, harms
• अनर्थैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• दुःखिताः: afflicted, distressed
• दुःखिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वजन्तवः: all creatures
• सर्वजन्तवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वजन्तु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आगमैः: by scriptures/traditions
• आगमैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपकृष्यन्ते: are drawn/pulled away (from wrong path)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपकृष्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada (Passive-like usage), 3rd, Plural

• हस्तिपैः: by elephant-drivers (mahouts)
• हस्तिपैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिप
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• हस्तिनः: elephants
• हस्तिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• āgama (scriptural authority)
• hastipa (mahout/elephant-driver)
• hastin (elephant)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Beings are tossed between gain and loss and therefore suffer; reliable scriptural guidance (āgama) functions as a corrective force that restrains and redirects them toward dharma, like a mahout controlling an elephant.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues his instruction in the Śānti Parva, using a vivid simile: as elephants are kept in check by elephant-drivers, so people—disturbed by worldly outcomes—are brought back to the right course by authoritative teachings.