Shloka 7

Devanagari script

मृतस्य कीर्तिर्मित्यस्य यथा माला गतायुष: । अहं तु त्वां ब्रवीम्येतद्‌ भक्तो उसीति हितेप्सया,मरे हुए मनुष्यकी कीर्ति मुर्देके गलेमें पड़ी हुई मालाके समान व्यर्थ है। तुम मेरे भक्त हो, इसीलिये तुम्हारे हितकी इच्छासे मैं ये सब बातें कहता हूँ

Transliteration

mṛtasya kīrtir mityasya yathā mālā gatāyuṣaḥ | ahaṃ tu tvāṃ bravīmy etad bhakto 'sīti hitepsayā ||

Translation

మృతుని కీర్తి శవం మెడలో వేలాడే మాల వలె వ్యర్థం. నీవు నా భక్తుడవు; అందుకే నీ హితాన్ని కోరుతూ నేను ఇది చెబుతున్నాను—ఖాళీ యశస్సులో మోహపడకుము; జీవనాన్ని, ధర్మాన్ని నిలుపునదే ఆశ్రయించుము.

Word by Word

मृतस्यof a dead (man)

कीर्तिःfame, renown

मित्यस्यof a dead body/corpse

यथाas, just as

मालाgarland

गतायुषःof one whose life has gone (lifeless)

अहम्I

तुbut, however

त्वाम्you

ब्रवीमिI say, I tell

एतत्this (thing)

भक्तःdevotee, faithful (one)

असिyou are

इतिthus, saying

हितेप्सयाwith the desire for (your) welfare

Speaker

सूर्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sūrya (the Sun-god)

bhakta (devotee, addressed person)

mālā (garland)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Mere posthumous fame is worthless to the one who has lost life; therefore one should not sacrifice true welfare and dharma for empty reputation. The speaker frames the counsel as compassionate guidance given to a devotee.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sūrya addresses his devotee directly, offering admonition and ethical counsel. He uses a stark simile—fame on a dead person is like a garland on a corpse—to urge the listener toward choices that genuinely protect well-being and righteousness.