Shloka 79

Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances

Devanagari script

संतापिताश्न ये केचिद्‌ व्यसनौघप्रतीक्षिण: । अन्तर्तहिता: सोपदहितास्ते सर्वे परसाधना:,“जो अपने पदसे गिरा दिये जानेके कारण असंतुष्ट हों, अपमानित किये गये हों, जो स्वयं राजासे पुरस्कृत होकर दूसरोंके द्वारा कलंक लगाये जानेके कारण उस आदरसे वंचित कर दिये गये हों, जो क्षीण, लोभी, क्रोधी, भयभीत और धोखेमें डाले गये हों, जिनका सर्वस्व छीन लिया गया हो, जो मानी हों, जिनकी आय छिन गयी हो, जो महत्त्वपूर्ण पद पाना चाहते हों, जिन्हें सताया गया हो, जो किसी राजापर आनेवाले संकटसमूहकी प्रतीक्षा कर रहे हों, छिपे रहते हों और मनमें कपटभाव रखते हों, वे सभी सेवक शत्रुओंका काम बनानेवाले होते हैं

Transliteration

santāpitāśn ye kecid vyasanaugha-pratīkṣiṇaḥ | antartahitāḥ sopadahitās te sarve para-sādhanāḥ ||

Translation

Disse Bhishma: Aqueles servidores que, amargurados e aflitos, aguardam que uma torrente de calamidades recaia sobre o seu rei; que se ocultam, alimentando ressentimento; que são enganosos e, em segredo, inclinados a causar dano—todos esses homens tornam-se instrumentos do inimigo.

Word by Word

संतापिताःafflicted, tormented

आश्नhope (as object: having/with hope)

येwho, those who

केचित्some

व्यसनौघप्रतीक्षिणःwaiting for a flood/heap of calamities

अन्तर्तहिताḥhidden within, concealed

सोपदहिताःwith (inner) deceit/guile; having something laid near/kept (in mind)

तेthey, those

सर्वेall

परसाधनाःinstruments/agents of others (i.e., of enemies)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must be vigilant about disgruntled, concealed, and deceitful attendants: when resentment and covert malice take root, such people become tools of the enemy. Good governance includes recognizing and addressing grievances and preventing the rise of secret hostility within one’s own service.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on raja-dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira about dangers within the royal establishment. Here he characterizes a class of servants who, while outwardly present, inwardly wait for the king’s downfall and thus function as agents for opposing forces.