Shloka 13

कालनियमः शोकशमनं च

Kāla as Regulator; Pacification of Grief

Devanagari script

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमा गाथा गीता ययातिना । याश्रि: प्रत्याहरेत्‌ कामान्‌ कूर्मोडज्ानीव सर्वश:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

atrāpy udāharantīmā gāthā gītā yayātinā |

yāḥ śriḥ pratyāharet kāmān kūrmo 'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Ở đây nữa, người đời thường dẫn làm thí dụ những bài kệ do vua Yayāti cất lên—những bài kệ nhờ đó con người thu hồi và chế ngự mọi dục vọng, như con rùa rút các chi của mình vào từ mọi phía.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here, in this context
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

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

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite, they quote (as an example)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Lat (present), 3, plural, Parasmaipada

• इमाम्: this (one)
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• गाथाम्: verse, gāthā
• गाथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• गीताम्: sung, recited
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गीता
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular, kta (past passive participle)

• ययातिना: by Yayāti
• ययातिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• या: which (she/that)
• या: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• श्रीः: splendour/fortune; (here) the wise discipline/virtue (as personified)
• श्रीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• प्रत्याहरेत्: should withdraw, should draw back
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-आ-हृ
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• कामान्: desires, sense-objects
• कामान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• कूर्मः: tortoise
• कूर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अङ्गानि: limbs
• अङ्गानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

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

• सर्वशः: entirely, on all sides, in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yayāti
• tortoise (kūrma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should withdraw and restrain desires completely, using the tortoise drawing in its limbs as a model for sense-control and inner discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana introduces a traditional illustration: verses attributed to King Yayāti that are commonly quoted to support the teaching of curbing desires through deliberate withdrawal.