Shloka 17

Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

कृत्वा कार्यमकार्य वा तुष्टिमेषां प्रयच्छति । त॑ पुत्रपशुसम्पन्नं व्यासक्तमनसं नरम्‌

Transliteration

kṛtvā kāryam akārya vā tuṣṭim eṣāṃ prayacchati | taṃ putrapaśusampannaṃ vyāsaktamanasaṃ naram ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Dù làm điều nên làm hay điều không nên làm, hắn cũng chỉ mong giành lấy sự vừa lòng của họ. Con người ấy—giàu con cái và gia súc—trở thành kẻ có tâm trí bị trói buộc bởi chấp trước.”

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• कार्यम्: what ought to be done; duty
• कार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकार्यम्: what ought not to be done; improper act
• अकार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• तुष्टिम्: satisfaction; contentment
• तुष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• एषाम्: of these (people)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• प्रयच्छति: gives; bestows
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that (one); him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुत्रपशुसम्पन्नम्: endowed with sons and cattle
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रपशुसम्पन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यासक्तमनसम्: whose mind is attached; mentally clinging
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यासक्तमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नरम्: man
• नरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma warns that craving others’ approval can drive a person to perform both rightful and wrongful acts; prosperity in family and wealth can intensify attachment, binding the mind and weakening ethical discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma continues a moral analysis of conduct and motivation, describing a type of person who prioritizes pleasing dependents or associates, even at the cost of dharma, due to strong attachment rooted in household prosperity.