Shloka 32

Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)

Devanagari script

उलूकपक्षिध्वनिभिद्देवतायतनैर्व॒॑तम्‌ । लोहघण्टापरिष्कारं श्वयूथपरिवारितम्‌

Transliteration

ulūkapakṣi-dhvanibhir devatāyatanair vṛtam | loha-ghaṇṭā-pariṣkāraṃ śva-yūtha-parivāritam ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఆ ప్రదేశం దేవతాలయాలతో చుట్టుముట్టబడి ఉండేది; వాటి లోపల గుడ్లగూబలు తదితర పక్షుల కేకలు ప్రతిధ్వనించేవి. అక్కడి ఇళ్లు ఇనుప గంటలతో అలంకరించబడి ఉండేవి; కుక్కల గుంపులు వాటిని చుట్టూ కాపలా కాసేవి.

Word by Word

• उलूक: of an owl
• उलूक: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• पक्षि: bird
• पक्षि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• ध्वनि: sound
• ध्वनि: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वनि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (in compound), Singular

• भिद्: piercing, splitting
• भिद्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिद् (√भिद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (in compound), Singular

• देवतायतनैः: with temples (abodes of deities)
• देवतायतनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवतायतन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वृतम्: surrounded, encompassed
• वृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत (√वृ)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• लोह: iron
• लोह: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• घण्टा: bells
• घण्टा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (in compound), Plural (sense)

• परिष्कारम्: adornment, furnishing
• परिष्कारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिष्कार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्व: dogs
• श्व: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Plural (sense)

• यूथ: a pack, herd
• यूथ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथ
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• परिवारितम्: surrounded, encircled
• परिवारितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवारित (√वृ + परि)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• devatāyatanāni (temples/shrines)
• ulūka (owl)
• pakṣi (birds)
• loha-ghaṇṭāḥ (iron bells)
• śva-yūthāni (packs of dogs)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse evokes a moral-psychological atmosphere: when sacred places and homes are marked by unsettling signs (owl-cries, roaming packs of dogs), it suggests a decline in auspicious order and a warning to reflect on conduct (dharma) and the state of society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a locality filled with deity-shrines where eerie bird-calls echo; houses are fitted with iron bells, and packs of dogs surround the area—details that create a foreboding, ominous setting.