Shloka 187

Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

मेरा जन्म उसी महान्‌ कुलमें हुआ है। मैंने अपने योग्य पतिके न मिलनेपर मोक्षधर्मकी शिक्षा ली तथा मुनिव्रत धारण करके मैं अकेली विचरती रहती हूँ ।।

Transliteration

merā janma tasmin mahān kule jātaṃ; mayā yogyapater alabdhau mokṣadharmasya śikṣā gṛhītā, munivratam āsthāya ekākī carāmi. na asmi satra-praticchannā, na para-svāpa-hāriṇī; na dharma-saṅkara-karī; sva-dharme asmi dhṛta-vratā.

Translation

ମୋର ଜନ୍ମ ସେହି ମହାନ କୁଳରେ ହୋଇଛି। ଯେତେବେଳେ ମୋତେ ମୋର ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ପତି ମିଳିଲେ ନାହିଁ, ସେତେବେଳେ ମୁଁ ମୋକ୍ଷଧର୍ମର ଶିକ୍ଷା ଗ୍ରହଣ କଲି; ମୁନିବ୍ରତ ଧାରଣ କରି ମୁଁ ଏକାକି ଭ୍ରମଣ କରୁଛି। ମୁଁ ସନ୍ନ୍ୟାସିନୀର ଛଦ୍ମବେଷ ଧାରଣ କରୁନି; ପରଧନ ଅପହରଣ କରୁନି; ଧର୍ମସଂକର ମଧ୍ୟ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରୁନି। ଦୃଢ଼ ବ୍ରତରେ ମୁଁ ସ୍ୱଧର୍ମରେ ସ୍ଥିତ, ସଙ୍କଳ୍ପପୂର୍ବକ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପାଳନ କରୁଛି।

Word by Word

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

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सत्र-प्रतिच्छन्ना: one concealed under the guise of a sacrificial session (i.e., disguised ascetic)
• सत्र-प्रतिच्छन्ना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिच्छन्न (प्रति+छद्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• पर-स्व-अपहारिणी: a stealer of another's property
• पर-स्व-अपहारिणी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपहारिणी (अप+हृ)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• धर्म-संकर-करी: one who causes confusion/mixing of dharma
• धर्म-संकर-करी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करी (कृ)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• स्व-धर्मे: in (my) own dharma/duty
• स्व-धर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अस्मि: I am / I remain
• अस्मि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धृत-व्रता: one who has undertaken/held a vow; firm in vow
• धृत-व्रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत (धृ) + व्रत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• unnamed woman/ascetic (first-person voice within the cited verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts ethical authenticity in renunciation: true ascetic life is marked by steadfast vows (especially brahmacarya), non-stealing, and non-disruption of dharma—rejecting hypocrisy (false ascetic disguise) and harm to social-moral order (dharma-saṅkara).

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Bhishma’s discourse in the Śānti Parva, a first-person speaker (an ascetic woman in the cited passage) explains her life-choice: lacking a suitable marriage, she adopted mokṣa-oriented teachings and the muni’s vow, living alone while defending her moral purity against suspicions of deceit, theft, or causing dharmic disorder.