Shloka 18

Nārada–Vāyu–Śalmali Upākhyāna: Enmity with the Strong and the Primacy of Buddhi (नारद-वायु-शल्मलि उपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

अर्ठमानो यत्र गृप्रै: शितिकण्ठैरयोमुखै: । ततश्न पुनरावृत्त: पापयोनिं गमिष्यसि

Transliteration

arthamāno yatra gṛpraiḥ śitikaṇṭhair ayomukhaiḥ | tataś ca punarāvṛttaḥ pāpayoniṃ gamiṣyasi

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—ఇనుప ముక్కులున్న, నల్ల గొంతులున్న గద్దలు నిన్ను అక్కడికి లాగుతూ తీసుకుపోతాయి; ఆ అనుభవం తర్వాత తిరిగి వచ్చి నీవు మళ్లీ పాపయోనిలో జన్మిస్తావు.

Word by Word

• अर्थमानः: seeking/asking for (gain)
• अर्थमानः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• गृध्रैः: by vultures
• गृध्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शितिकण्ठैः: with dark/blue necks
• शितिकण्ठैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शितिकण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अयोमुखैः: iron-beaked/iron-faced
• अयोमुखैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयोमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ततः: from there/thereafter
• ततः: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• आवृत्तः: having returned
• आवृत्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पापयोनिम्: a sinful womb/birth
• पापयोनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापयोनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गमिष्यसि: you will go/attain
• गमिष्यसि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Second, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• gṛdhra (vultures/birds of prey)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Actions that violate dharma lead to painful post-mortem consequences and, after returning to worldly existence, to an inferior or sinful rebirth; therefore one should restrain harmful impulses and choose righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a punitive otherworldly scene—being tormented by fierce birds—then stating that after such suffering the person returns to samsāra and is born into a “sinful womb,” illustrating the karmic chain from wrongdoing to punishment to degraded rebirth.