Shloka 28

भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या

Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa

Devanagari script

परिच्छिद्यैव कामानां सर्वेषां चैव कर्मणाम्‌ | मूल॑ बुद्धीन्द्रियग्रामं शकुन्तानिव पठ्जरे

Transliteration

paricchidyaiva kāmānāṁ sarveṣāṁ caiva karmaṇām | mūlaṁ buddhīndriyagrāmaṁ śakuntān iva pañjare ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Hãy phân định rành rẽ và chế ngự mọi dục vọng cùng mọi hành động; hãy biết gốc rễ của chúng là năng lực phân biệt của tâm và toàn thể ‘bầy đàn’ các căn. Nếu trí và các căn được giữ trong quyền kiểm soát—như chim bị nhốt trong lồng—thì không còn cớ gì để sợ hãi.”

Word by Word

• परिच्छिद्य: having restrained/cut off
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-छिद्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कामानाम्: of desires
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

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

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कर्मणाम्: of actions
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

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

• बुद्धीन्द्रियग्रामम्: the aggregate of intellect and senses
• बुद्धीन्द्रियग्रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि + इन्द्रिय + ग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शकुन्तान्: birds
• शकुन्तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुन्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पञ्जरे: in a cage
• पञ्जरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्जर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• buddhi (intellect)
• indriyas (senses)
• birds (metaphor)
• cage (metaphor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Desires and actions arise from the interplay of discernment (buddhi) and the senses (indriya-grāma). Ethical steadiness and fearlessness come from restraining and governing these inner instruments rather than letting them roam freely.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhīṣma advises the listener that mastery over intellect and senses is the practical foundation for controlling desire-driven conduct, using the image of birds safely kept within a cage.