Shloka 35

Adhyāya 136: Yavakrī–Bharadvāja Saṃvāda and the Bāladhī–Dhanuṣākṣa Gāthā

Arrogance, Boons, and Nimitta

Devanagari script

किमिदं वर्तते ब्रह्मन्‌ कि च ते ह चिकीर्षितम्‌ | अतीव हि महान्‌ यत्न: क्रियतेडयं निरर्थक:

Transliteration

Lomaśa uvāca | kim idaṁ vartate brahman kiṁ ca te ha cikīrṣitam | atīva hi mahān yatnaḥ kriyate ’yaṁ nirarthakaḥ ||

Translation

Lomaśa nói: “Này Bà-la-môn, chuyện gì đang diễn ra ở đây, và rốt cuộc ông định làm gì? Bởi đây là một nỗ lực hết sức lớn lao đang được tiến hành—nhưng dường như vô ích.”

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• वर्तते: is happening / is going on
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते)
• Form: present, third, singular, ātmanepada

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sir)
• Type: Noun (vocative address)
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: neuter, vocative, singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

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

• ते: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: genitive, singular

• ह: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• चिकीर्षितम्: intended act / what you wish to do
• चिकीर्षितम्: Karta
• Type: Noun (verbal noun)
• Root: चिकीर्षित (√कृ, desiderative base चिकीर्ष-)
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• अतीव: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• महान्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• क्रियते: is being done / is made
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (क्रीयते/क्रियते)
• Form: present, third, singular, passive

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• निरर्थकः: purposeless / futile
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरर्थक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• brahman (addressed person: a Brahmin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical discernment: great exertion should be guided by clear purpose and right intention; otherwise even impressive effort can become futile.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa questions a Brahmin (or revered person) about an ongoing situation, asking what is happening and what the person intends, remarking that a very great effort is being made but appears purposeless.