Shloka 17

Śānti-parva Adhyāya 30: Nārada–Parvata Samaya-bhaṅga, Śāpa, and the Marriage of Sukumārī

Devanagari script

ववृधे हि ततस्तस्य हृदि कामो महात्मन:

Transliteration

vavṛdhe hi tatastasyā hṛdi kāmo mahātmanaḥ

Translation

ఆపై ఆ మహాత్ముని హృదయంలో కామం నిజంగా పెరిగింది.

Word by Word

• ववृधे: grew, increased
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• ततः: then, thereafter; from that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• तस्य: of him, his
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• हृदि: in (his) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कामः: desire, longing
• कामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (man)
• महात्मनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• श्रीकृष्ण (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) (speaker)
• mahātman (a noble-souled person, unnamed here)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a key ethical insight: when desire (kāma) begins to grow within the heart, it can shape intention and action. Even a ‘mahātman’ is portrayed as susceptible to inner impulses, underscoring the need for vigilance, discernment, and self-mastery in dharmic life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes a turning point: after certain preceding events, an unnamed noble person experiences an increase of desire in his heart. The line functions as a psychological transition, indicating that a new motive has arisen and will likely drive the next actions in the story.