Shloka 71

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

यथावदुक्त वचन हितार्थिना निशम्य विप्रेण सुवीरराष्ट्रप: तथाकरोदू्‌ वाक्यमदीनचेतन: श्रियं च दीप्तां बुभुजे सबान्धव:

Transliteration

yathāvad ukta-vacanaṁ hitārthinā niśamya vipreṇa su-vīra-rāṣṭrapaḥ | tathākarod vākyaṁ adīna-cetanaḥ śriyaṁ ca dīptāṁ bubhuje sa-bāndhavaḥ ||

Translation

भीष्म उवाच—हितार्थिना विप्रेण यथावदुक्तं वचनं सम्यक् निशम्य सुवीरराष्ट्रपः तद्वाक्यं यथावत् चकार। अदीनचेताः स बान्धवैः सह दीप्तां श्रियम् उपभुङ्क्ते स्म॥

Word by Word

• यथावत्: duly, properly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्
• Form: Avyaya

• उक्तम्: spoken, said
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच्
• Form: Neuter, nominative/accusative, singular (past passive participle)

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• हितार्थिना: by one seeking welfare (well-intentioned person)
• हितार्थिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हितार्थिन्
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, singular

• निशम्य: having heard, after listening
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), indeclinable

• विप्रेण: by the brahmin
• विप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, singular

• सुवीरराष्ट्रपः: the king (protector) of Suvīra-rāṣṭra
• सुवीरराष्ट्रपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवीरराष्ट्रप
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: Avyaya

• अकरोत्: did, carried out
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• वाक्यम्: the instruction/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• अदीनचेतनः: of undepressed spirit, steadfast-minded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदीनचेतन
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• श्रियम्: prosperity, fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• दीप्ताम्: bright, splendid
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• बुभुजे: enjoyed, partook of
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, singular, ātmanepada

• स: he
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• बान्धवः: with (his) kinsmen/relatives (as companion)
• बान्धवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a Brahmin (vipra)
• a king (rāṣṭrapa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should listen attentively to well-wishing, learned counsel and implement it as given; such disciplined receptivity and steadiness of mind leads to stable prosperity for oneself and one’s family.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that a king, after hearing a Brahmin’s beneficial instruction, follows it exactly and consequently attains shining fortune along with his relatives.