Shloka 19

Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ

Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra

Devanagari script

गतायुषमसामर्थ्य क्षीणसारं हतश्रियम्‌ | विमृश्य प्रज्ञया धीर जहीम॑ स्थविरं द्रुमम्‌

Transliteration

gatāyuṣam asāmarthyaṁ kṣīṇasāraṁ hataśriyam | vimṛśya prajñayā dhīra jahīmaṁ sthaviraṁ drumam ||

Translation

Bhishma disse: “Ó constante, pondera com discernimento: esta árvore chegou ao fim de sua vida; sua força se foi, sua substância interior definhou e seu esplendor foi perdido. Tendo refletido com sabedoria, abandona agora esta árvore envelhecida.”

Word by Word

• गतायुषम्: whose lifespan has gone (life-ended)
• गतायुषम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गतायु (बहुव्रीहि-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• असामर्थ्यम्: incapacity, lack of strength
• असामर्थ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: असामर्थ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• क्षीणसारम्: with its essence/sap depleted
• क्षीणसारम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीणसार (कर्मधारय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हतश्रियम्: whose splendor/prosperity is destroyed
• हतश्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हतश्री (बहुव्रीहि-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विमृश्य: having reflected/considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मृश्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• प्रज्ञया: by (your) wisdom/intelligence
• प्रज्ञया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• धीर: O steadfast/wise one
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• जहीहि: abandon, leave
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (जहाति)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्थविरम्: old, aged
• स्थविरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थविर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रुमम्: tree
• द्रुमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śuka
• aged tree (sthavira druma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Use discerning wisdom to recognize decline and impermanence; when something has lost its life-force, capacity, and purpose, one should let go without attachment, acting with calm judgment rather than sentiment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses Śuka and points to an aged, depleted tree as an instructive example. He urges Śuka to observe its clear signs of exhaustion and, after thoughtful consideration, to abandon it—using the tree as a moral emblem for timely renunciation.