Shloka 34

Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

पुत्राणां द्वे शते ब्रह्मन्‌ कालेन विनिपातिते । अहूं राजाभवं विप्र तत्र पूर्व शतं मम

Transliteration

putrāṇāṁ dve śate brahman kālena vinipātite | ahūṁ rājābhavaṁ vipra tatra pūrva-śataṁ mama ||

Translation

“婆罗门啊，我的两百个儿子都被迦罗——时间与命运——所击倒。尊贵的祭司啊，我从前曾为国王；在那时，我得了一百个儿子。”

Word by Word

• पुत्राणाम्: of (my) sons
• पुत्राणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Dual

• शते: hundreds (i.e., two hundred)
• शते: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Dual

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कालेन: by Time / by fate
• कालेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विनिपातिते: were struck down / caused to fall
• विनिपातिते: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-पत्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Dual

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवम्: was / became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तत्र: there / in that situation
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• पूर्वम्: formerly / earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a Brahmin (addressed as brahman/vipra)
• Time (Kāla)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the inevitability of Kāla (Time) in bringing about loss and death, even for kings with great lineage; it frames human prosperity and progeny as impermanent and subject to fate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, addressing a Brahmin, recounts his past: he once ruled as a king and had many sons, yet they were ultimately destroyed by Time; he begins a personal history that sets up the moral reflection to follow.