Shloka 37

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

गतं मां सहसा भूमिं नकुलो भक्षयिष्यति

Transliteration

gataṁ māṁ sahasā bhūmiṁ nakulo bhakṣayiṣyati

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Khi ta đã khuất, mặt đất này sẽ mau chóng bị ‘Nakula’ nuốt chửng.” Trong mạch văn, câu ấy là một lời cảnh báo đầy lo âu: khi bậc trưởng thượng hay người gìn giữ dharma rời đi, những xung lực không còn được kiềm chế—ở đây được nhân cách hóa bằng một tác nhân mang tên ấy—có thể nhanh chóng gieo loạn và tai hại lên cõi nước.

Word by Word

• गतं: gone (having gone)
• गतं: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (गत-)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• सहसा: suddenly, hastily
• सहसा: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

• भूमिम्: to the ground / on the ground
• भूमिम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भक्षयिष्यति: will eat/devour
• भक्षयिष्यति: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nakula
• bhūmi (earth/realm)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that when a restraining, dharma-aligned authority disappears, the realm can quickly fall prey to destructive forces; stability in governance requires continuity, self-control, and safeguards against sudden disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, speaking in the Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, utters a foreboding remark that after his departure the earth/kingdom will be rapidly ‘devoured’ by Nakula—framing a concern about what follows once he is no longer present to steady events.