Shloka 45

अध्याय ५६ — च्यवन–कुशिकसंवादः

Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Lineage, Conflict, and Transmission

Devanagari script

तौ दृष्टवा पौरवर्गस्तु भूशं शोकसमाकुल: । अभिशापभयत्रस्तो न च किंचिदुवाच ह

Transliteration

tau dṛṣṭvā pauravargas tu bhūśaṁ śokasamākulaḥ | abhiśāpabhayatrasto na ca kiñcid uvāca ha ||

Translation

Nang makita ang dalawa sa gayong kaawa-awang kalagayan, nabalot ng matinding dalamhati ang mga taga-lungsod. Ngunit sa takot na mapasailalim sa sumpa ng isang pantas, walang sinumang nangahas magsalita kahit isang salita.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• पौरवर्गः: the group of townspeople
• पौरवर्गः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरवर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• भूशम्: greatly, exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूशम्

• शोकसमाकुलः: overwhelmed with grief
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक-समाकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभिशापभयत्रस्तः: frightened by fear of a curse
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिशाप-भय-त्रस्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किञ्चित्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• townspeople/citizens (pauravarga)
• two unnamed persons (tau)
• a sage (implied by abhiśāpa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical tension: people may feel genuine compassion, yet fear of spiritual or social repercussions can paralyze speech and action. It implicitly critiques silence born of fear, even when one witnesses suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a scene where the citizens see two individuals in distress. The crowd is deeply saddened, but because they dread a sage’s curse, they remain silent and do not intervene or speak.