Shloka 33

अध्याय ५६ — च्यवन–कुशिकसंवादः

Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Lineage, Conflict, and Transmission

Devanagari script

त्रिदण्डं वज़सूच्यग्रं प्रतोद॑ तत्र चादधत्‌ | सर्वमेतत्‌ तथा दत्त्वा नृपो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

tridaṇḍaṃ vajrasūcyagraṃ pratodaṃ tatra cādadhat | sarvam etat tathā dattvā nṛpo vākyam athābravīt ||

Translation

त्रिदण्डं वज्रसूच्यग्रं प्रतोदं तत्र चादधत् । सर्वमेतत्तथा दत्त्वा नृपो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ॥

Word by Word

• त्रिदण्डम्: three-rod (whip/implement)
• त्रिदण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वज्रसूच्यग्रम्: having a tip like a thunderbolt-needle (needle-sharp tip)
• वज्रसूच्यग्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्रसूच्यग्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतोदम्: goad/whip
• प्रतोदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतोद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there/on it
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आदधत्: placed/put (down)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + धा
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus/in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• दत्त्वा: having given/after presenting
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• nṛpa (the king)
• tridaṇḍa-pratoda (three-rod goad/whip)
• vajrasūcī (adamantine needle-like tip)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the careful, methodical preparation of royal instruments and implies an ethical subtext: power and control (symbolized by the goad/whip) must be handled with deliberation and accountability, not impulsively.

What is happening in the narrative?

A king completes the presentation/arrangement of equipment—specifically placing a sharp-tipped, three-rod goad/whip—and, after setting everything in order, begins to speak, indicating a transition to questioning or instruction.