Shloka 62

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

गृध्रदृष्टिबकालीन: श्वचेष्ट: सिंहविक्रम: । अनुद्विग्द: काकशड्की भुजड़रितं चरेत्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | gṛdhradṛṣṭir bakālīnaḥ śvacēṣṭaḥ siṃhavikramaḥ | anudvignaḥ kākaśaṅkī bhujaṅgaritaṃ caret ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Bậc quân vương phải nhìn xa như kền kền, ghim mục tiêu bằng ánh nhìn bền bỉ như cò, cảnh giác như chó, và phô bày dũng lực như sư tử. Chớ để lòng xao động; như quạ, hãy luôn dè chừng và dõi theo mọi động tĩnh của kẻ khác; và như rắn chui vào hang của kẻ khác, hãy nhận ra chỗ hở của địch rồi đánh thẳng qua khe nứt ấy.”

Word by Word

• गृध्रदृष्टिः: having vulture-like sight (far-seeing)
• गृध्रदृष्टिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृध्रदृष्टि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बकालीनः: like a crane (fixed on the target)
• बकालीनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बकालीन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्वचेष्टः: acting like a dog (alert/watchful)
• श्वचेष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वचेष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सिंहविक्रमः: having lion-like valor
• सिंहविक्रमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंहविक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनुद्विग्नः: unagitated, not anxious
• अनुद्विग्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुद्विग्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काकशङ्की: suspicious like a crow (cautious)
• काकशङ्की: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काकशङ्किन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भुजगः: a serpent
• भुजगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अरितम्: enemy (as object of action)
• अरितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• चरेत्: should act / should conduct himself
• चरेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• vulture (gṛdhra)
• crane (baka)
• dog (śvan)
• lion (siṃha)
• crow (kāka)
• serpent (bhujaṅga)
• enemy (śatru, implied)
• burrow/hole (bila, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that a ruler must combine foresight, focused attention, vigilance, courage, emotional steadiness, and cautious intelligence—then act decisively by identifying and exploiting an opponent’s weakness, without being driven by agitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on practical qualities of kingship, using animal metaphors to describe how a king should observe, plan, remain alert, and respond to threats.