Shloka 28

Devanagari script

सेव्यमानं विहज्गौघैश्छायावासफलार्थिभि: । धात्रा परोपकाराय स साधुरिव निर्मित:,इतनेमें ही उसे वृक्षोंके समूहमें मेघके समान सघन एवं नील एक विशाल वृक्ष दिखायी दिया, जिसपर बहुतसे विहंग छाया, निवास और फलकी इच्छासे बसेरे लेते थे, मानो विधाताने परोपकारके लिये ही उस साधुतुल्य महान्‌ वृक्षका निर्माण किया था

Transliteration

sevyamānaṃ vihaṅgaughaiś chāyāvāsaphalārthibhiḥ | dhātrā paropakārāya sa sādhur iva nirmitaḥ ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—سایہ، پناہ اور پھل کی طلب میں پرندوں کے غول جس عظیم درخت کے گرد جمع تھے، وہ یوں معلوم ہوتا تھا گویا خالق نے اسے محض دوسروں کے بھلے کے لیے—ایک درویش صفت انسان کی مانند—تخلیق کیا ہو۔

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'sevyamānam', 'gloss': 'being resorted to, being frequented, being served/used'}, {'term': 'vihaṅga', 'gloss': 'bird'}, {'term': 'ogha (augha)', 'gloss': 'flood, mass, multitude

• here: a swarm/flock'}, {'term': 'chāyā', 'gloss': 'shade'}, {'term': 'vāsa', 'gloss': 'dwelling, shelter, residence'}, {'term': 'phala', 'gloss': 'fruit

• also result/benefit (contextually fruit)'}, {'term': 'arthin (ārthibhiḥ)', 'gloss': 'one who seeks/desires

• here: seekers of shade, shelter, and fruit'}, {'term': 'dhātṛ', 'gloss': 'the Creator, Ordainer (Vidhātṛ)'}, {'term': 'paropakāra', 'gloss': 'benefit to others, altruistic service'}, {'term': 'sādhu', 'gloss': 'good person, virtuous one, saint'}, {'term': 'iva', 'gloss': 'as if, like'}, {'term': 'nirmitaḥ', 'gloss': 'made, fashioned, created'}]

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Dhātṛ (the Creator)
• a great tree
• flocks of birds

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True goodness is measured by paropakāra—being a refuge and source of benefit to others. The tree, giving shade, shelter, and fruit without discrimination, is presented as a living model of the sādhus’ ethic of selfless support.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a scene where a large tree is crowded with birds who come for shade, lodging, and fruit. He interprets the sight morally, saying it appears the Creator made the tree specifically to help others, like a saint among beings.