Shloka 7

Gratitude, Discernment, and the Escalation of Power (Śvā–Dvipī–Vyāghra–Nāga–Siṃha–Śarabha Itihāsa)

Devanagari script

ते सुखप्रश्नदा: सर्वे भवन्ति क्षतजाशना: । तस्यर्षे: शिष्यवच्चैव न्यग्भूता: प्रियकारिण:

Transliteration

te sukhapraśnadāḥ sarve bhavanti kṣatajāśanāḥ | tasyarṣeḥ śiṣyavac caiva nyagbhūtāḥ priyakāriṇaḥ ||

Translation

ਉਹ ਸਭ—ਭਾਵੇਂ ਮਾਸਾਹਾਰੀ ਅਤੇ ਹਿੰਸਕ ਜੀਵ ਸਨ—ਤਾਂ ਵੀ ਉਸ ਰਿਸ਼ੀ ਦੀ ਹਾਜ਼ਰੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਿਸ਼ਿਆਂ ਵਾਂਗ ਸਿਰ ਨਿਵਾ ਕੇ ਨੇੜੇ ਬੈਠਦੇ, ਉਸ ਦੀ ਖੈਰ-ਖ਼ਬਰ ਪੁੱਛਦੇ ਅਤੇ ਸਦਾ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੀ ਕਰਦੇ।

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सुख-प्रश्न-दाः: askers of (his) welfare/health
• सुख-प्रश्न-दाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखप्रश्नद
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• भवन्ति: are / become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: present, third, plural, parasmaipada

• क्षतज-अशनाः: blood-eaters (carnivorous)
• क्षतज-अशनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षतजाशन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• तस्य: of him / of that (sage)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• ऋषेः: of the sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• शिष्यवत्: like disciples
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शिष्यवत्

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

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• न्यग्भूताः: bent down / with heads lowered
• न्यग्भूताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यग्भूत
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural, क्त (past passive participle), भू, नि + अव (→ न्यग् as preverbial element meaning 'downwards')

• प्रिय-कारिणः: doing what is pleasing (to him)
• प्रिय-कारिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियकारिन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural, णिनि (agent noun), कृ

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• an unnamed ṛṣi (sage)
• the sage’s disciples (as a comparison)
• carnivorous/violent animals or beings (implied by kṣatajāśanāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even beings inclined to violence can be restrained and morally softened by the presence of a truly disciplined sage; reverence, humility, and concern for another’s welfare are marks of dharmic influence that can transform conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes how flesh-eating, violent creatures nevertheless sit near a sage with bowed heads, inquire about his well-being, and behave like obedient disciples—highlighting the sage’s spiritual authority and the pacifying effect of his virtue.