Shloka 7

Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

पुत्र बवाच एवमभ्याहते लोके सर्वतः परिवारिते । अमोघासु पतन्तीषु कि धीर इव भाषसे

Transliteration

putra uvāca—evam abhyāhate loke sarvataḥ parivārite | amoghāsu patantīṣu kiṁ dhīra iva bhāṣase ||

Translation

ପୁତ୍ର ପଚାରିଲା—ପିତାଜୀ! ଏହି ଲୋକ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ତାଡିତ ଓ ସବୁ ଦିଗରୁ ଘେରା ହୋଇଥିବା ପରି ଲାଗୁଛି। ଏଠାରେ ଅମୋଘ ଶକ୍ତିମାନେ ନିରନ୍ତର ଆମ ଉପରେ ପଡ଼ୁଛନ୍ତି। ଏମିତି ଅବସ୍ଥାରେ ଆପଣ ଧୀର ପୁରୁଷ ପରି କିପରି କଥା କହୁଛନ୍ତି?

Word by Word

• पुत्रः: the son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• अभ्याहते: when (the world is) struck/assailed
• अभ्याहते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-आ-हन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सर्वतः: from all sides
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• परिवारिते: surrounded/hemmed in
• परिवारिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-√वृ (वृञ् वरणे) / परिवारित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अमोघासु: among unfailing (things/weapons/misfortunes)
• अमोघासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमोघ
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• पतन्तीषु: while (they are) falling/descending
• पतन्तीषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• किम्: why?/how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम्

• धीरः: a steadfast man
• धीरः: Karta
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: धीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• भाषसे: you speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष्
• Form: Present, 2nd, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• putra (son)
• pitā (father)
• loka (the world)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a moral-psychological problem: when the world is inevitably afflicted and pressures keep descending, how can a wise person remain dhīra—steady and composed? It sets up the teaching that true firmness is not denial of suffering but a disciplined response grounded in understanding of life’s inevitabilities.

What is happening in the narrative?

A son questions his father’s calm speech. Observing that the world is battered and surrounded by unavoidable hardships, he asks how the father can still speak like a self-possessed, courageous man—prompting an ensuing instruction on endurance, wisdom, and right conduct amid adversity.