Shloka 37

Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances

Devanagari script

एक एकेन संगम्य रहो ब्रूयां हितं वच: । नच ते ज्ञातिकार्येषु प्रष्टव्यो5हं हिताहिते,मैं अकेला एकान्तमें अकेले आपसे मिलकर आपको हितकी बातें बताया करूँगा। आप भी अपने जाति-भाइयोंके कार्योंमें मुझसे हिताहितकी बात न पूछियेगा

Transliteration

eka ekena saṅgamya raho brūyāṃ hitaṃ vacaḥ | na ca te jñātikāryeṣu praṣṭavyo 'haṃ hitāhite ||

Translation

நான் உன்னை தனிமையில் ஒருவருக்கு ஒருவர் சந்தித்து உன் நலனுக்கான சொற்களைச் சொல்வேன். ஆனால் உன் உறவினரின் காரியங்களில் எது நலம் எது தீமை என்று என்னிடம் கேட்காதே.

Word by Word

एकःalone, one (person)

एकेनwith one (person)

संगम्यhaving met

रहःin private, secretly

ब्रूयाम्I should tell / may I tell

हितम्beneficial, wholesome

वचःspeech, words

नnot

चand

तेof you / your

ज्ञाति-कार्येषुin matters/affairs of kinsmen

प्रष्टव्यःto be asked / should be asked

अहम्I

हित-अहितेin (what is) beneficial and harmful

Speaker

शार्टूल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śārṭūla

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical counsel should be given with discretion: one may offer private, welfare-oriented advice, yet avoid becoming an arbiter in the internal affairs of another’s kin-group, where questions of benefit and harm are entangled with loyalties and conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śārṭūla sets boundaries for counsel: he offers to meet privately and speak beneficial words, but instructs the listener not to consult him regarding decisions and consequences tied to the listener’s relatives, implying the sensitivity and potential partiality involved in clan matters.