Shloka 13

Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana

Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues

Devanagari script

ततो ददर्श स बलिं खरवेषेण संवृतम्‌ । यथा<55ख्यातं भगवता शून्यागारकृतालयम्‌

Transliteration

tato dadarśa sa baliṃ kharaveṣeṇa saṃvṛtam | yathākhyātaṃ bhagavatā śūnyāgārakṛtālayam ||

Translation

پھر اس نے بھگوان برہما کے بتائے ہوئے مطابق ایک سنسان گھر میں رہنے والے راجا بلی کو دیکھا، جو گدھے کے بھیس میں اپنے آپ کو چھپائے ہوئے تھا۔

Word by Word

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

• ददर्श: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• बलिम्: Bali (the king)
• बलिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• खर-वेषेण: with/under a donkey-disguise
• खर-वेषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: खरवेष
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• संवृतम्: covered, concealed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√वृ (संवृ)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), masculine, accusative, singular

• यथा: as, according to how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• ख्यातम्: made known, declared
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ख्या
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• भगवता: by the Blessed Lord
• भगवता: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• शून्य-आगार-कृत-आलयम्: having his dwelling made in an empty house
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्यागारकृतालय
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Brahmā (implied by 'bhagavatā' in the given context)
• empty house (śūnyāgāra)
• donkey guise (kharaveṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical value of humility and withdrawal from display: even a powerful king may choose concealment and a deserted dwelling, suggesting that true worth is not dependent on outward status and that restraint and anonymity can serve dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Following the Blessed Lord’s (Brahmā’s) description, the observer encounters King Bali living in an empty house, deliberately hidden by adopting a donkey’s guise, indicating a purposeful concealment and a life apart from public recognition.