Shloka 32

Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)

Devanagari script

उलूकपक्षिध्वनिभिद्देवतायतनैर्व॒॑तम्‌ । लोहघण्टापरिष्कारं श्वयूथपरिवारितम्‌

Transliteration

ulūkapakṣi-dhvanibhir devatāyatanair vṛtam | loha-ghaṇṭā-pariṣkāraṃ śva-yūtha-parivāritam ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਉਹ ਥਾਂ ਦੇਵ-ਮੰਦਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਘਿਰੀ ਹੋਈ ਸੀ; ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਉੱਲੂਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਪੰਛੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਆਵਾਜ਼ਾਂ ਗੂੰਜਦੀਆਂ ਰਹਿੰਦੀਆਂ। ਉੱਥੇ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਲੋਹੇ ਦੀਆਂ ਘੰਟੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਸਜੇ ਹੋਏ ਸਨ, ਅਤੇ ਕੁੱਤਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਝੁੰਡ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਚਾਰੋਂ ਪਾਸੇ ਤੋਂ ਘੇਰੇ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਸਨ।

Word by Word

• उलूक: of an owl
• उलूक: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• पक्षि: bird
• पक्षि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• ध्वनि: sound
• ध्वनि: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वनि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (in compound), Singular

• भिद्: piercing, splitting
• भिद्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिद् (√भिद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (in compound), Singular

• देवतायतनैः: with temples (abodes of deities)
• देवतायतनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवतायतन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वृतम्: surrounded, encompassed
• वृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत (√वृ)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• लोह: iron
• लोह: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• घण्टा: bells
• घण्टा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (in compound), Plural (sense)

• परिष्कारम्: adornment, furnishing
• परिष्कारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिष्कार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्व: dogs
• श्व: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Plural (sense)

• यूथ: a pack, herd
• यूथ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथ
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• परिवारितम्: surrounded, encircled
• परिवारितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवारित (√वृ + परि)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• devatāyatanāni (temples/shrines)
• ulūka (owl)
• pakṣi (birds)
• loha-ghaṇṭāḥ (iron bells)
• śva-yūthāni (packs of dogs)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse evokes a moral-psychological atmosphere: when sacred places and homes are marked by unsettling signs (owl-cries, roaming packs of dogs), it suggests a decline in auspicious order and a warning to reflect on conduct (dharma) and the state of society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a locality filled with deity-shrines where eerie bird-calls echo; houses are fitted with iron bells, and packs of dogs surround the area—details that create a foreboding, ominous setting.