Shloka 16

Satya-lakṣaṇa (The Characteristics and Forms of Truth) | सत्यलक्षणम्

Devanagari script

चन्दनै: स्यन्दनै: शालै: सरलैदेवदारुभि: । वेतसैर्धन्वनैश्लापि ये चान्ये बलवत्तरा:

Transliteration

candanais syandanaiḥ śālaiḥ saralaiḥ devadārubhiḥ | vetasair dhanvanaiś cāpi ye cānye balavattarāḥ, tasmāt taṁ vai namasyanti śvasanaṁ tarusattamāḥ |

Translation

Nārada nói: “Ngay cả những cây đại thụ hùng mạnh—trầm hương, syandana (tiniśa), śāla, sarala, deodāra, vetasa, dhanvana, và những loài còn cứng cáp hơn—cũng không hề đổ lỗi cho Thần Gió. Biết rõ sức mình và uy lực của Vāyu, những bậc ‘thượng thụ’ ấy cúi ngọn trước hơi thở đang chuyển động của Ngài.”

Word by Word

• चन्दनैः: by/with sandalwood trees
• चन्दनैः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• स्यन्दनैः: by/with syandana (tiniśa) trees
• स्यन्दनैः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शालैः: by/with śāla trees
• शालैः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सरलैः: by/with pine trees
• सरलैः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• देवदारुभिः: by/with deodars (devadāru trees)
• देवदारुभिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदारु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वेतसैः: by/with vetasa (willow/reed) trees
• वेतसैः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेतस
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• धन्वनैः: by/with dhanvana trees
• धन्वनैः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्वन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• ये: who/which
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बलवत्तराः: stronger/very strong
• बलवत्तराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that reason
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (तद्)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वै: indeed/surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• नमस्यन्ति: bow to / pay homage
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् (नमस्यति)
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• श्वसनम्: the Wind (Vāyu), the breather
• श्वसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तरुसत्तमाः: the best of trees
• तरुसत्तमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरु-सत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Vāyu (Wind-god, implied by śvasanam)
• candana (sandalwood tree)
• syandana/tiniśa (tree)
• śāla (tree)
• sarala (tree)
• devadāru (deodar cedar)
• vetasa (cane/reed tree)
• dhanvana (tree)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the strongest should recognize a truly superior force and respond with humility rather than blame. The verse uses great trees as examples: knowing their own limits and the Wind’s might, they ‘bow’—teaching restraint, realism, and respectful conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada illustrates a moral point through a nature-based analogy: he lists powerful trees and says that they do not accuse the Wind; instead, they acknowledge its power and submit. The image supports an admonition against foolishly faulting a stronger agent and encourages wise deference.