Shloka 12
Devanagari script
इत्युक्त: प्राह देवान् स न शक्तोडस्मि महीगतान् । दग्धुं तपो हि क्षीयेन्मे न शक््यामीति पार्थिव
Transliteration
ity uktaḥ prāha devān sa na śakto ’smi mahī-gatān | dagdhuṃ tapo hi kṣīyen me na śakyāmīti pārthiva ||
Translation
इत्युक्तः स देवान् प्राह— “पार्थिव! अहं महीगतान् असुरान् दग्धुं न शक्तोऽस्मि। दग्ध्वा हि मे तपः क्षीयेत; तस्मादेतत् कर्म ममाशक्यम्।”
Word by Word
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed
उक्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्राहsaid
प्राह:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + अह्
FormPerfect, 3, Singular
देवान्the gods
देवान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
शक्तःable
शक्तः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक् (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अस्मिI am
अस्मि:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormPresent, 1, Singular
महीगतान्gone to the earth / earth-dwelling
महीगतान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहीगत
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
दग्धुम्to burn
दग्धुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootदह् (तुमुन्)
FormInfinitive
तपःausterity, penance
तपः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतपस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
क्षीयेत्would diminish
क्षीयेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootक्षि
FormOptative (Potential), 3, Singular
मेmy
मे:
Sambandha
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
शक्यामिI am able
शक्यामि:
TypeVerb
Rootशक्
FormPresent, 1, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
पार्थिवO king
पार्थिव:
TypeNoun
Rootपार्थिव
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaT
the gods (Devas)A
Agastya (implied by context)A
asuras (earth-dwelling)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Even when urged to use destructive power, an ascetic must guard tapas; restraint and preservation of spiritual merit can be a higher duty than punitive action.
After being requested by the gods to burn the earth-dwelling asuras, the sage (as indicated by the surrounding context) declines, explaining to the king that such an act would diminish his austerity, and so he is unable to undertake it.