Shloka 231

कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च

The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion

Devanagari script

ततो धाराकुले काले सम्भ्रमन्‌ नष्टचेतन: । शीतार्तस्तद्‌ वन॑ सर्वमाकुलेनान्तरात्मना

Transliteration

tato dhārākule kāle sambhraman naṣṭacetanaḥ | śītārtaḥ tad vanaṁ sarvam ākulenāntarātmanā ||

Translation

Pagkaraan, nang maging magulo at nagbabantang ang panahon, siya’y nagpagala-gala sa kalituhan, at unti-unting nawawala ang ulirat. Pinahihirapan ng lamig at yumanig ang kalooban, nakita niya ang buong gubat na wari’y nagkakagulo ang lahat—ang sariling balisang isip ang siyang nagkulay sa mundong kanyang nasasaksihan.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from there/thereupon')

• धाराकुले: in (a time) made turbulent by streams (of rain)
• धाराकुले: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धाराकुल
• Form: Neuter, locative, singular

• काले: in the time/season
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, locative, singular

• सम्भ्रमन्: being bewildered, reeling
• सम्भ्रमन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भ्रम्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), masculine, nominative, singular

• नष्टचेतनः: one whose consciousness was lost
• नष्टचेतनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्टचेतन
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• शीतार्तः: afflicted by cold
• शीतार्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीतार्त
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• सर्वम्: entire, all
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• आकुलेन: with a disturbed/agitated (state)
• आकुलेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकुल
• Form: Neuter, instrumental, singular

• अन्तरात्मना: with (his) inner self/mind
• अन्तरात्मना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how inner disturbance reshapes perception: when the mind is agitated and consciousness falters under hardship (like cold and fear), the outer world appears chaotic. Ethical steadiness in dharma requires mastering inner turbulence so that judgment is not overwhelmed by suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a person (contextually, the one being narrated about) wandering in a harsh, turbulent time—confused, nearly senseless, and suffering from cold—so that the whole forest seems disordered, reflecting the turmoil within.