Shloka 3

Taḍāga-Phala and Vṛkṣāropaṇa

Merit of Ponds and Tree-Planting

Devanagari script

ततः सूर्यो मधुरया वाचा तमिदमत्रवीत्‌ | कृताञ्जलि्-प्ररूपी प्रणम्यैनं विशाम्पते

Transliteration

tataḥ sūryo madhurayā vācā tam idam atravīt | kṛtāñjali-prarūpī praṇamya enaṃ viśāmpate ||

Translation

ततः सूर्यो मधुरया वाचा तमिदमब्रवीत्। कृताञ्जलिः प्रणम्यैनं विशाम्पते॥

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सूर्यःthe Sun (god)

मधुरयाwith sweet (pleasant)

वाचाspeech, words

तम्him

इदम्this

अत्रhere

अवीत्said, spoke

कृताञ्जलि-प्ररूपीhaving the form/appearance of one with joined palms (with folded hands)

प्रणम्यhaving bowed, after saluting

एनम्this one; him

विशाम्of the people, of the subjects

पतेO lord

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Surya (Sun-god)

viśāmpati (lord of the people—honorific addressee)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical communication and humility: even a powerful divine figure (Surya) speaks with gentleness and approaches with folded hands and a bow, modeling respectful conduct and the dharmic ideal of courteous speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates a moment where Surya begins a discourse. The Sun-god respectfully approaches the person addressed (called 'viśāmpati', lord of the people) and then speaks, marking the start of divine instruction or counsel.