Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

पानीयं वा निरायासं स्वाद्धन्नं वा भयोत्तरम्‌ | विचार्य खलु पश्यामि तत्सुखं यत्र निर्वति:

Transliteration

pānīyaṃ vā nirāyāsaṃ svādvannaṃ vā bhayottaram | vicārya khalu paśyāmi tat sukhaṃ yatra nirvṛtiḥ ||

Translation

С одной стороны — вода для питья, добываемая без труда и без страха; с другой — вкусная пища, что в конце оборачивается страхом. Размышляя о двух этих путях, я вижу: истинное счастье там, где нет страха, где есть тихая удовлетворённость.

Word by Word

• पानीयम्: water (to drink)
• पानीयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पानीय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• निरायासम्: effortless, obtained without trouble
• निरायासम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरायास
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• स्वादु: tasty, delicious
• स्वादु: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• भय-उत्तरम्: ending in fear; having fear as the sequel
• भय-उत्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयोत्तर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• विचार्य: having considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Active

• खलु: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु

• पश्यामि: I see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• सुखम्: happiness, comfort
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• निर्वृतिः: contentment; peace; freedom from fear
• निर्वृतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वृति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

शार्टूल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śārṭūla
• pānīya (water)
• anna (food)
• bhaya (fear)
• nirvṛti (contentment/peace)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Choose the good that is free from fear and harmful consequences over pleasures that are attractive but lead to anxiety, danger, or moral compromise; real sukha is linked with nirvṛti (peaceful contentment).

What is happening in the narrative?

Śārṭūla presents a reflective comparison between two options—simple water obtained without trouble and delicious food that brings fear afterward—and concludes that the preferable, truly सुख (happiness) is found where there is no भय (fear).