Shloka 10

कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः

Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative

Devanagari script

“उस समय सर्वथा निर्भय, उदार एवं विद्वान ब्राह्मणोंने बारंबार आत्मप्रशंसा करनेवाले उन नरेशको मना किया ।।

Transliteration

niṣidhyamāno 'py asakṛt pṛcchaty eva sa vai dvijān | atimānaḥ śriyā mattaṃ tam ūcur brāhmaṇās tadā ||

Translation

แม้ถูกห้ามปรามซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า พระราชาก็มิได้ยุติ กลับซักถามพราหมณ์ทั้งหลายครั้งแล้วครั้งเล่า ด้วยความทะนงตนล้นเกินและความเมามัวในศรีสมบัติ พระองค์ไม่ยอมถอย เมื่อเห็นว่าทรงย้ำถามเรื่องเดิมไม่เลิก พราหมณ์ดาบสผู้ยิ่งใหญ่ ผู้หยั่งรู้หลักแห่งพระเวท ก็เดือดดาลด้วยโทสะ แล้วกล่าวแก่พระองค์ดังนี้—

Word by Word

• निषिध्यमानः: being forbidden / being restrained
• निषिध्यमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निषिध् (धातु) → निषिध्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्मणि (passive), वर्तमान (present), शानच् (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even / although
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• असकृत्: repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत्

• पृच्छति: asks
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, present, प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• द्विजान्: the brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अतिमानम्: excessive pride
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रिया: by prosperity / by wealth
• श्रिया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मत्तम्: intoxicated / arrogant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, perfect, प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मणाः: the brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvijāḥ (Brahmins)
• a king (unnamed in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Repeated questioning driven by ego and self-praise is not genuine seeking; prosperity can intoxicate the mind, and dharmic counsel requires humility and restraint. When pride dominates, even wise teachers may respond with stern correction.

What is happening in the narrative?

A king, despite being repeatedly discouraged, keeps pressing the Brahmins with the same questions. Seeing his arrogance and wealth-intoxication, the Brahmins become angry and prepare to answer him sharply.