Shloka 8

पापात्म-धर्मात्म-लक्षणम् तथा निर्वेदेन मोक्षमार्गः | Marks of the Sinful and the Righteous; Dispassion (Nirveda) as a Path to Liberation

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा स तदा विप्रो गौतमो जपतां वर: | अविमृश्य महाभागो वनमेव जगाम स:,उस समय बिना बिचारे ही ऐसी आज्ञा देकर जप करनेवालोंमें श्रेष्ठ ब्रह्मर्षि महाभाग गौतम वनमें चले गये

Transliteration

ity uktvā sa tadā vipro gautamo japatāṃ varaḥ | avimṛśya mahābhāgo vanam eva jagāma saḥ ||

Translation

అని చెప్పి, జపసాధకులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడైన మహాభాగ బ్రాహ్మణుడు గౌతముడు ఆలోచన చేయకుండానే ఆజ్ఞ ఇచ్చి వెంటనే అరణ్యానికి వెళ్లిపోయాడు।

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्त्वाhaving said

सःhe

तदाthen

विप्रःthe brahmin

गौतमःGautama

जपताम्of those who recite/mutter (prayers)

वरःthe best

अविमृश्यwithout considering

महाभागःthe greatly fortunate one

वनम्to the forest

एवindeed/only

जगामwent

सःhe

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Gautama

forest (vana)

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?

The verse highlights the ethical importance of reflection (vimarśa) before issuing commands or taking decisive action; even a revered sage’s unconsidered decision can carry serious consequences, so dharma favors thoughtful discernment over haste.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma reports that the sage Gautama, after giving an instruction/command, did not pause to reconsider; he then left immediately for the forest, marking a turning point that implies ensuing outcomes from that hasty directive.