Shloka 14

प्रकीर्णमेष भारं हि यद्वद्‌ धार्येत दस्युभि: । प्रतिलोमां दिशं बुद्ध्वा संसारमबुधास्तथा

prakīrṇam eṣa bhāraṃ hi yadvat dhāryeta dasyubhiḥ | pratilomāṃ diśaṃ buddhvā saṃsāram abudhās tathā ||

Wika ni Bhishma: Gaya ng mga tulisan na pumatay ng isang tupa at tumatakbong pasan ang bigat na iyon sa balikat, lagi silang natatakot na mahuli mula sa bawat panig; ngunit kapag napagtanto nilang salungat sa kanila ang daan at itinapon nila ang pasan mula sa balikat, saka sila nakalalakad nang magaan patungo sa direksiyong ninanais. Gayon din, ang mangmang, habang pasan ang bigat ng mga gawaing makamundo, ay napapaligiran ng takot sa lahat ng dako; ngunit kapag tinalikuran niya iyon, nagiging karapat-dapat siya sa kapayapaan.

प्रकीर्णम्scattered / strewn
प्रकीर्णम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रकीर्ण (√कॄ + नि/प्र उपसर्ग; क्त)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
एषःthis
एषः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भारम्burden
भारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभार
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
हिindeed / for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
यद्वत्just as
यद्वत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयद्वत्
धार्येतwould be carried / should be borne
धार्येत:
TypeVerb
Root√धृ
FormVidhi-lin (optative), Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Passive/impersonal sense
दस्युभिःby robbers
दस्युभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदस्यु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
प्रतिलोमाम्contrary / adverse
प्रतिलोमाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रतिलोम
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
दिशम्direction
दिशम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदिश्
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
बुद्ध्वाhaving understood/realized
बुद्ध्वा:
TypeVerb
Root√बुध्
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada sense
संसारम्worldly existence
संसारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसंसार
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अबुधाःthe unwise
अबुधाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअबुध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तथाso / likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
B
bandits (dasyu)
S
sheep (implied by the prose gloss)
B
burden/load (bhāra)
D
directions (diś)

Educational Q&A

Worldly engagement, when clung to as a personal burden, breeds pervasive fear and insecurity; recognizing its adverse consequences and relinquishing attachment to it leads to inner peace (śānti).

Bhishma uses a vivid analogy: robbers flee with a stolen carcass, fearing capture from all sides, until they drop the load and escape safely. He applies this to ordinary people who carry the ‘burden’ of samsaric action and anxiety until they abandon it and attain peace.