Shloka 20

अध्याय ५६ — च्यवन–कुशिकसंवादः

Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Lineage, Conflict, and Transmission

Devanagari script

गृहस्थानां च यद्‌ भोज्यं यच्चापि वनवासिनाम्‌ | सर्वमाहारयामास राजा शापभयात्‌ ततः

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

gṛhasthānāṃ ca yad bhojyaṃ yac cāpi vanavāsinām |

sarvam āhārayāmāsa rājā śāpabhayāt tataḥ ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—پھر لعنت کے خوف سے بادشاہ نے گھر گرہستھوں کے لائق اور جنگل میں رہنے والوں کے مناسب جو کچھ کھانے کی چیزیں تھیں، سب منگوا کر پیش کر دیں۔

Word by Word

• गृहस्थानाम्: of householders
• गृहस्थानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• भोज्यम्: edible food
• भोज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भोज्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• यत्: and whatever
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• वनवासिनाम्: of forest-dwellers
• वनवासिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनवासिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आहारयामास: caused to be brought / procured
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic), Third, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शापभयात्: from fear of a curse
• शापभयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप-भय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• the king (rājā)
• householders (gṛhastha)
• forest-dwellers (vanavāsin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a king’s obligation to provide appropriately for different modes of life (householder and forest-dweller), while also showing how fear of moral/spiritual consequence (a curse) can compel a ruler to act promptly and comprehensively.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that the king, anxious about incurring a curse, orders that all kinds of suitable foods be procured—covering both settled household fare and forest-appropriate provisions—and has them presented without omission.