Shloka 12

Śīla-prāpti and Śīla-lakṣaṇa (शीलप्राप्ति-शीललक्षणम्) | On the Acquisition and Marks of Character

Devanagari script

कामन्दमृषिमासीनमभिवाद्य नराधिप: । आडज््रिष्ठो5थ पप्रच्छ कृत्वा समयपर्ययम्‌,एक समयकी बात है, कामन्दक ऋषि अपने आश्रममें बैठे थे। उन्हें प्रणाम करके राजा आंगरिष्ने प्रश्नके उपयुक्त समय देखकर पूछा--

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca | Kāmandam ṛṣim āsīnam abhivādya narādhipaḥ | Āṅgāriṣṭho 'tha papraccha kṛtvā samaya-paryayam ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: “Một thuở nọ, hiền triết Kāmanda đang ngồi trong am thất của mình. Một vị vua đến gần, cúi đầu đảnh lễ; rồi sau khi xét thấy thời khắc đã thích hợp, bèn cất lời thưa hỏi—cầu lời chỉ giáo với sự đúng mực và biết giữ lễ.”

Word by Word

• कामन्दकम्: Kamandaka (name of the sage)
• कामन्दकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामन्दक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ऋषिम्: sage
• ऋषिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आसीनम्: seated
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle, used adjectivally), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिवाद्य: having saluted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वाद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• नराधिपः: the king (lord of men)
• नराधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आङ्गिरिष्ठः: Āṅgiriṣṭha (proper name, the king)
• आङ्गिरिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आङ्गिरिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• समयपर्ययम्: the proper occasion/appropriate time (lit. the turn of time)
• समयपर्ययम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समयपर्यय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kāmanda (ṛṣi)
• Āṅgāriṣṭha (king)
• āśrama (hermitage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should approach the wise with reverence and self-discipline, and inquire only at the proper time and in the proper manner—showing humility, patience, and respect for counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma introduces a traditional dialogue: the sage Kāmanda is seated in his hermitage; King Āṅgāriṣṭha salutes him and, after choosing an appropriate moment, asks him a question to receive guidance.