Shloka 9

Adhyāya 180: Jīva, Śarīra, and the Fire Analogy (भृगु–भरद्वाज संवादः)

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अनुयुक्त: स मेधावी लोकधर्मविधानवित्‌ । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा प्रह्मादमनपार्थया,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! प्रहादके इस प्रकार पूछनेपर लोक-धर्मके विधानको जाननेवाले उन मेधावी मुनिने उनसे मधुर एवं सार्थक वाणीमें इस प्रकार कहा

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | anuyuktaḥ sa medhāvī lokadharmavidhānavit | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā prahrādam anapārthayā ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—اے راجن! جب پرہلاد نے اس طرح سوال کیا تو لوک دھرم کے احکام سے واقف اُس دانشمند رشی نے پرہلاد کو نرم، بامعنی اور برمحل کلام میں یوں جواب دیا۔

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid

अनुयुक्तःhaving been questioned / when questioned

सःhe

मेधावीthe intelligent one

लोकधर्मविधानवित्knower of the ordinances of worldly duty

उवाचsaid

श्लक्ष्णयाwith gentle/smooth

वाचाspeech/words

प्रह्लादम्Prahlada

अनपार्थयाnot meaningless / not irrelevant (i.e., meaningful)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Prahrada

the wise sage (unnamed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical instruction: true guidance on dharma should be delivered with gentleness and with purposeful, relevant speech by one who understands the practical rules of social conduct (loka-dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that after Prahrada asks a question, a wise sage knowledgeable in worldly dharma responds to him in a calm, sweet, and meaningful manner, setting up the forthcoming teaching.