Shloka 34

Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda

Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time

Devanagari script

ईषदुच्छवसमानस्तु कृच्छात्‌ संस्तभ्य पन्नग: । उत्ससर्ज गिरं मन्दां मानुषीं पाशपीडित:

Transliteration

īṣad ucchvasamānas tu kṛcchrāt saṃstabhya pannagaḥ | utsasarja giraṃ mandāṃ mānuṣīṃ pāśa-pīḍitaḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—“ఆ సమయంలో ఉరితాడుతో బాధపడుతూ, స్వల్పంగా శ్వాస తీసుకుంటూ, ఆ పన్నగుడు ఎంతో కష్టపడి తనను తాను నిలబెట్టుకొని, మృదువైన స్వరంతో మనుష్యభాషలో పలికాడు.”

Word by Word

• ईषत्: slightly, a little
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ईषत्

• उच्छ्वसमानः: breathing (in/out)
• उच्छ्वसमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-श्वस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• कृच्छात्: with difficulty; from distress
• कृच्छात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• संस्तभ्य: having steadied/supported (himself)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्तम्भ्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• पन्नगः: the serpent
• पन्नगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उत्ससर्ज: uttered, let out
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√सृज्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गिरम्: speech, voice
• गिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्दाम्: soft, low, faint
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मानुषीम्: human (in human language)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुषी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पाशपीडितः: tormented by a noose/bond
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाश-पीडित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• pannaga (serpent)
• pāśa (noose/bond)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how bondage and pain can subdue arrogance and bring forth measured, truthful speech; restraint (pāśa) becomes a catalyst for humility and moral reflection.

What is happening in the narrative?

A serpent, bound by a noose and struggling to breathe, gathers himself with difficulty and then speaks softly in human language, as narrated by Bhīṣma.