Shloka 27

Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ

Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra

Devanagari script

तस्य वाक्येन सौम्येन हर्षित: पाकशासन: । शुकं प्रोवाच धर्मात्मा आनृशंस्येन तोषित:,तोतेकी इस कोमल वाणीसे पाकशासन इन्द्रको बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई। धर्मात्मा देवेन्द्रने शुककी दयालुतासे संतुष्ट हो उससे कहा--

Transliteration

tasya vākyena saumyen harṣitaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ | śukaṃ provāca dharmātmā ānṛśaṃsyena toṣitaḥ ||

Translation

అతని సౌమ్యమైన, సద్భావపూరితమైన మాటలతో పాకశాసనుడైన ఇంద్రుడు హర్షించెను. శుకుని కరుణా-అహింసలతో సంతుష్టుడైన ధర్మాత్మ దేవేంద్రుడు అతనితో పలికెను.

Word by Word

तस्यof him / his

वाक्येनby (his) speech/words

सौम्येनgentle, pleasing

हर्षितःdelighted

पाकशासनःIndra (Punisher of Pāka)

शुकम्to Śuka

प्रोवाचsaid, spoke

धर्मात्माthe righteous-souled one

आनृशंस्येनby compassion / non-cruelty

तोषितःpleased, satisfied

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Pākaśāsana (Indra)

Śuka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Gentle speech (saumya vākya) and compassion/non-cruelty (ānṛśaṃsya) have moral power: they win hearts and elicit a favorable response even from the highest authority, here Indra. The verse highlights ethical conduct as persuasive and dharmic.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Śuka’s mild and pleasing words, Indra (Pākaśāsana) becomes happy. Recognizing Śuka’s compassionate disposition, Indra—described as dharmātmā—speaks to him, indicating a shift to Indra’s reply in the dialogue.