Shloka 14
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving
Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum
Devanagari script
दुःखं हि मृत्युर्थूतानां जीवितं च सुदुर्लभम् | अतो भीत: पलायामि गच्छेयं ना सुखं सुखात्
Transliteration
duḥkhaṁ hi mṛtyur bhūtānāṁ jīvitaṁ ca sudurlabham | ato bhītaḥ palāyāmi gaccheyaṁ nā sukhaṁ sukhāt |
Translation
对一切有情众生而言，死亡确是巨大的痛苦之源，而生命又极其难得。因此我因恐惧而逃离——唯恐从安逸之境坠入苦难之中。
Word by Word
दुःखम्sorrowful/ painful (thing)
दुःखम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदुःख
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
मृत्युःdeath
मृत्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भूतानाम्of beings/creatures
भूतानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootभूत
FormNeuter, Genitive, Plural
जीवितम्life
जीवितम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजीवित
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
सुदुर्लभम्very hard to obtain
सुदुर्लभम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसुदुर्लभ
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
अतःtherefore/from that reason
अतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअतः
भीतःafraid
भीतः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootभीत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पलायामिI flee/run away
पलायामि:
TypeVerb
Rootपलाय्
FormPresent, Indicative, First, Singular, Parasmaipada
गच्छेयम्I might go
गच्छेयम्:
TypeVerb
Rootगम्
FormPresent, Optative, First, Singular, Parasmaipada
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
सुखम्happiness/comfort
सुखम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसुख
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सुखात्from happiness/comfort
सुखात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootसुख
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
Speaker
कीट उवाच
Characters & Entities
K
kīṭa (the insect/worm; speaker)B
bhūtāni (living beings/creatures)M
mṛtyu (death)J
jīvita (life)Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Life is rare and precious for all beings; recognizing the suffering associated with death encourages compassion and restraint, supporting an ethic of non-harm (ahiṁsā) and respect for even small creatures.
The speaker, a kīṭa (insect/worm), explains why it is fleeing: out of fear that it may be killed and thus fall from a moment of safety into suffering, emphasizing the universal instinct to preserve life.