Shloka 5

Brāhmaṇa-mahattva and Atithi-Dharma

Brahmagītā: Praise of Brāhmaṇas and norms of honor

Devanagari script

सतं दृष्टवा विशुद्धात्मा त्रासादडुकमुपागतम्‌ । आश्रचास्याश्रवसिह्ीीत्याह न ते5स्ति भयमण्डज

Transliteration

śaraṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā viśuddhātmā trāsād aṇḍakam upāgatam | āśvāsayām āsa taṃ rājā uśīnaraḥ—na te 'sti bhayam aṇḍaja ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: Увидев испуганную птицу, пришедшую искать защиты, чистосердечный царь Ушинара утешил её и сказал: «О птица, рождённая из яйца, успокойся — здесь тебе нечего бояться». Стих подчёркивает долг царя — оберегать того, кто вверился его покровительству, даже если проситель слаб и беззащитен.

Word by Word

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• विशुद्धात्मा: pure-souled
• विशुद्धात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्धात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रासात्: from fear
• त्रासात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• उलूकम्: an owl
• उलूकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपागतम्: come/arrived (having approached)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आश्वास्य: having reassured
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्वस्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• अस्य: of him/this (of this one)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अभयम्: fearlessness/safety
• अभयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इत्याह: thus he said
• Type: Verb
• Root: इति + आह (अह्/ब्रू)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular

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

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• अस्ति: there is
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd, Singular

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अण्डज: O egg-born one (bird)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्डज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• King Uśīnara (Śibi)
• aṇḍaja (bird/dove)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The core teaching is śaraṇāgata-rakṣaṇa: one who seeks refuge must be protected. A righteous ruler’s dharma includes giving fearlessness (abhaya) to the vulnerable and ensuring safety within his protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

A frightened bird (traditionally a dove) comes to King Uśīnara seeking shelter. The king, described as pure-hearted, reassures it with words of protection: “Do not fear; you are safe here.”