Shloka 13

Ākiṃcanya–Tyāga Upadeśa

The Instruction on Non-ownership and Renunciation

Devanagari script

शाखाभिरनुरूपाभिरभर्भूयिष्ठं क्षत्रसंनिभम्‌ | तस्य मूलं च संसिक्तं वरचन्दनवारिणा

Transliteration

śākhābhir anurūpābhir abhrabhūyiṣṭhaṃ kṣatrasaṃnibham | tasya mūlaṃ ca saṃsiktaṃ varacandanavāriṇā ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: “Với vô số cành nhánh cân xứng, nó hiện ra như một chiếc lọng vương giả cao lớn, mênh mang như mây, tựa biểu trưng uy quyền của một kṣatriya. Hơn nữa, gốc rễ của nó được rảy tưới và nuôi dưỡng bằng nước hòa hương đàn thượng hạng.”

Word by Word

• शाखाभिः: with branches
• शाखाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाखा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• अनुरूपाभिः: suitable, well-matched
• अनुरूपाभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुरूप
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभर्भूयिष्ठम्: very much, exceedingly (in a high degree)
• अभर्भूयिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूयिष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• क्षत्रसंनिभम्: resembling a royal parasol (kṣatra)
• क्षत्रसंनिभम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षत्र-संनिभ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of that (tree)
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• मूलम्: root
• मूलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• संसिक्तम्: sprinkled, watered
• संसिक्तम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-सिच्
• Form: क्त, Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Passive (past participle)

• वरचन्दनवारिणा: with water (mixed) with excellent sandalwood
• वरचन्दनवारिणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर-चन्दन-वारि
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• branches (śākhā)
• root (mūla)
• sandalwood-water (candana-vāri)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses royal imagery (a parasol-like canopy and sandalwood-scented water) to suggest that true sovereignty and dignity are supported by careful nurturing at the ‘root’—i.e., by disciplined foundations, purity, and right conduct rather than mere outward display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a magnificent tree whose harmonious branches spread like a grand royal canopy, while its base is ritually and fragrantly watered with sandalwood-infused water—an evocative detail that marks the setting as refined, auspicious, and symbolically connected with kingship and virtue.