Shloka 8

Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma

Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics

Devanagari script

ऋद्धिमस्यानु तप्यन्ते पुरा विप्रकृता नरा: । शालावृका इवाजसंं जिघांसुमेव विन्दति

Transliteration

ṛddhim asyānu tapyante purā viprakṛtā narāḥ | śālāvṛkā ivājaśaṁ jighāṁsum eva vindati ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Những kẻ xưa kia từng bị khinh rẻ và bị đối xử bất công sẽ bừng cháy lòng đố kỵ khi thấy phú quý của vị vua này ngày một tăng. Thế nhưng, với ý đồ gian trá, họ vẫn tìm đến nương tựa chính vị vua ấy và phụng sự ông—như loài chó vẫn quanh quẩn hầu hạ một kẻ tiện dân hung bạo, dẫu hắn đang toan giết chúng.

Word by Word

• ऋद्धिम्: prosperity, increase
• ऋद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अस्य: of this (man/king)
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अनु: after, following; (with tap) intensely/continuously
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु

• तप्यन्ते: they burn, are tormented (with envy)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• पुरा: formerly, earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• विप्रकृताः: wronged, insulted, ill-treated
• विप्रकृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विप्रकृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नराः: men, people
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शालावृकाः: jackals (lit. 'house-wolves')
• शालावृकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालावृक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अजसम्: a goat (as prey) / goat-like victim
• अजसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जिघांसुम्: wishing to kill, intent on slaying
• जिघांसुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिघांसु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• विन्दति: finds, obtains, meets with
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a king (rājā, implied)
• envious men formerly insulted (narāḥ viprakṛtāḥ)
• dogs (śālāvṛkāḥ)
• outcaste/low person (ajaśa/caṇḍāla-like figure, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma warns that envy can coexist with outward service: people who resent a ruler’s rising fortune may still cling to him for advantage, masking hostility with feigned loyalty. A king should discern motives and not mistake proximity or service for genuine goodwill.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on governance and conduct, he describes a pattern at court: those previously humiliated become jealous of the king’s growing prosperity, yet they still approach and serve him deceitfully—likened to dogs staying with a killer—highlighting the danger of treacherous dependents.