Shloka 52

Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)

Devanagari script

उषितं शड्कमानेन प्रमादं परिरक्षता । अन्तःसर्प इवागारे वीरपत्न्या इवालये

Transliteration

uṣitaṃ ṣaḍkamānena pramādaṃ parirakṣatā | antaḥsarpa ivāgāre vīrapatnyā ivālaye

Translation

उषितं षड्भिरङ्गैश्च प्रमादं परिरक्षता । अन्तःसर्प इवागारे वीरपत्न्या इवालये ॥

Word by Word

• उषितम्: dwelt/stayed (having stayed)
• उषितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु) → उषित (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• शङ्कमानेन: by one who is suspecting/fearing
• शङ्कमानेन: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: शङ्क् (धातु) → शङ्कमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• प्रमादम्: carelessness, negligence
• प्रमादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परिरक्षता: by one who is guarding/avoiding
• परिरक्षता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) → परिरक्षत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• अन्तःसर्पः: an inner/hidden serpent
• अन्तःसर्पः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःसर्प
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अगारे: in a house
• अगारे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगार
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वीरपत्न्या: by/like a hero's wife
• वीरपत्न्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरपत्नी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आलये: in a dwelling, in a home
• आलये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• antaḥsarpa (hidden serpent)
• agāra/ālaya (house/home)
• vīrapatnī (warrior’s wife)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches that one must actively guard against pramāda (heedlessness). Ethical life requires sustained vigilance and self-restraint, because danger and moral downfall can arise subtly from within one’s own environment and habits.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct. Here he uses vivid similes—a concealed snake in a house and the guarded presence of a warrior’s wife at home—to stress constant alertness and careful living.