Shloka 153

Adhyāya 118: Saciva-parīkṣā

Testing and Appointment of Ministers/Servants

Devanagari script

मुने: पार्श्वगतो नित्यं शरभ: सुखमाप्तवान्‌ । इस प्रकार मुनिने उस कुत्तेको उस समय शरभके स्थानमें प्रतिष्ठित कर दिया। वह शरभ प्रतिदिन मुनिके पास सुखसे रहने लगा

Transliteration

muneḥ pārśvagato nityaṁ śarabhaḥ sukham āptavān |

Translation

मुनेः पार्श्वगतो नित्यं शरभः सुखमाप्तवान् ।

Word by Word

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पार्श्वगतः: having gone to (being at) the side
• पार्श्वगतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्श्वगत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• शरभः: the Śarabha (a creature named Śarabha)
• शरभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• आप्तवान्: obtained, attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic), Third, Singular, Masculine

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• muni (sage)
• śarabha
• śvā (dog) (from the accompanying narrative gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed as protection and compassionate refuge: a sage uses spiritual power not for harm but to secure safety and well-being for a vulnerable being, showing that true ascetic merit supports ethical care.

What is happening in the narrative?

A sage has placed a dog into the condition of a śarabha (a stronger form) to protect it; thereafter the śarabha stays continually near the sage and lives comfortably.