Shloka 19

Saṃsāra-Gahana Allegory: The Brāhmaṇa in the Forest and Well (संसारगहन-आख्यान)

Devanagari script

न चास्य तृष्णा विरता पिबमानस्य संकटे

Transliteration

na cāsya tṛṣṇā viratā pibamānasya saṅkaṭe

Translation

न चास्य तृष्णा विरता पिबमानस्य संकटे॥

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• अस्य: of him/its
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• तृष्णा: thirst
• तृष्णा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृष्णा
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• विरता: ceased/stopped
• विरता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-रम् (धातु: रम्)
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular, past passive participle (क्त)

• पिबमानस्य: of (one) drinking
• पिबमानस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (पिबति)
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular, present active participle (शतृ)

• संकटे: in distress/in difficulty
• संकटे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकट
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Craving (tṛṣṇā) is not satisfied by indulgence; even in hardship, continuing to 'drink' (pibamāna) only sustains desire. Ethically, the verse warns that self-control and discernment—not repeated gratification—are needed to end suffering rooted in attachment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vidura is speaking in the Strī Parva context of post-war grief and moral reckoning, offering reflective counsel on human failings. This line functions as a pointed observation about how people, under pressure or loss, may cling to compulsions or desires that do not truly alleviate their distress.