Shloka 7

Gratitude, Discernment, and the Escalation of Power (Śvā–Dvipī–Vyāghra–Nāga–Siṃha–Śarabha Itihāsa)

Devanagari script

ते सुखप्रश्नदा: सर्वे भवन्ति क्षतजाशना: । तस्यर्षे: शिष्यवच्चैव न्यग्भूता: प्रियकारिण:

Transliteration

te sukhapraśnadāḥ sarve bhavanti kṣatajāśanāḥ | tasyarṣeḥ śiṣyavac caiva nyagbhūtāḥ priyakāriṇaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: “Tất cả chúng—dẫu sống bằng thịt và là loài bạo liệt—khi ở trước mặt vị hiền thánh ấy liền trở nên như đệ tử của người. Chúng cúi đầu, ngồi gần bên, hỏi thăm an khang, và luôn làm những điều khiến người hài lòng.”

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सुख-प्रश्न-दाः: askers of (his) welfare/health
• सुख-प्रश्न-दाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखप्रश्नद
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• भवन्ति: are / become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: present, third, plural, parasmaipada

• क्षतज-अशनाः: blood-eaters (carnivorous)
• क्षतज-अशनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षतजाशन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• तस्य: of him / of that (sage)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• ऋषेः: of the sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• शिष्यवत्: like disciples
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शिष्यवत्

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

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• न्यग्भूताः: bent down / with heads lowered
• न्यग्भूताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यग्भूत
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural, क्त (past passive participle), भू, नि + अव (→ न्यग् as preverbial element meaning 'downwards')

• प्रिय-कारिणः: doing what is pleasing (to him)
• प्रिय-कारिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियकारिन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural, णिनि (agent noun), कृ

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• an unnamed ṛṣi (sage)
• the sage’s disciples (as a comparison)
• carnivorous/violent animals or beings (implied by kṣatajāśanāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even beings inclined to violence can be restrained and morally softened by the presence of a truly disciplined sage; reverence, humility, and concern for another’s welfare are marks of dharmic influence that can transform conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes how flesh-eating, violent creatures nevertheless sit near a sage with bowed heads, inquire about his well-being, and behave like obedient disciples—highlighting the sage’s spiritual authority and the pacifying effect of his virtue.