Shloka 10

लुब्धक-कपोत-कपोती-आख्यानम्

The Hunter and the Pigeon Couple: Expiation and Refuge-Ethics

Devanagari script

पतिव्रता पतिगति: पतिप्रियहिते रता । यस्य स्यात्‌ तादृशी भार्या धन्य: स पुरुषो भुवि

Transliteration

pativratā patigatiḥ patipriyahite ratā | yasya syāt tādṛśī bhāryā dhanyaḥ sa puruṣo bhuvi ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Phúc thay cho người đàn ông trên cõi đời này có được người vợ như thế—một pativratā, kiên trinh trong đạo làm vợ, lấy chồng làm nơi nương tựa và mục đích tối thượng, luôn tận tâm với điều chồng yêu quý và điều lợi ích cho chồng.”

Word by Word

• पतिव्रता: devoted to her husband (chaste wife)
• पतिव्रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतिव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पतिगति: having the husband as her sole refuge/goal
• पतिगति: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतिगति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पतिप्रियहिते: in (her) husband's pleasure and welfare
• पतिप्रियहिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतिप्रियहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रता: engaged, devoted
• रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (कृदन्त; रम् + क्त)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• यस्य: of whom / for whom
• यस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• स्यात्: may be / should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तादृशी: such (of that kind)
• तादृशी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• धन्य: fortunate, blessed
• धन्य: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स: that (he)
• स: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषो: man
• पुरुषो: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्रीलिङ्ग)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• wife (bhāryā)
• husband (pati)
• earth (bhū)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises the ethical ideal of a spouse’s steadfast commitment within marriage: a wife who treats her husband as her primary refuge and consistently acts for what is dear and beneficial to him is presented as a great blessing, and the husband who receives such companionship is called ‘fortunate’.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhishma is instructing on dharma and social ethics. Here he offers a concise commendation of the pativratā ideal, highlighting loyalty and welfare-oriented conduct within the household as exemplary virtues.