Shloka 21
Adhyāya 118: Saciva-parīkṣā
Testing and Appointment of Ministers/Servants
Devanagari script
व्याप्रान्नागो मदपटुर्नाग: सिंहत्वमागतः । सिंहस्त्वं बलमापन्नो भूय: शरभतां गत:
Transliteration
vyāprān nāgo madapaṭur nāgaḥ siṁhatvam āgataḥ | siṁhas tvaṁ balam āpanno bhūyaḥ śarabhātāṁ gataḥ ||
Translation
Bhishma said: “From being an elephant—restless and skilled in rut—you became a lion. And you, having become a lion and gained great strength, then again passed onward into the state of a śarabha.” The verse evokes a sequence of ever more formidable embodiments, suggesting the relentless escalation of power and pride through successive forms, and implicitly warning that mere increase of strength does not by itself secure wisdom, restraint, or true dharma.
Word by Word
व्याप्रान्engaged, occupied
व्याप्रान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootव्याप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
नागःelephant
नागः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनाग (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मदपटुःskilled/strong in rut (musth-mad)
मदपटुः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमदपटु (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नागःelephant
नागः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनाग (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सिंहत्वम्lionhood, state of being a lion
सिंहत्वम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसिंहत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आगतःhas come/attained
आगतः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootआ-गम् (धातु)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle, used actively)
सिंहःlion
सिंहः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Form—, Nominative, Singular
बलम्strength
बलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबल (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आपन्नःhaving attained/obtained
आपन्नः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootआ-पद् (धातु)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle, used actively)
भूयःagain, further
भूयः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootभूयस् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
शरभताम्state of being a śarabha
शरभताम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशरभता (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
गतःhas gone/has become
गतः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle, used actively)
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
Bhishma (speaker)N
nāga (elephant)S
siṁha (lion)Ś
śarabha (mythic beast)Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Geographic Context
Sandhi Notes