Shloka 6

Devanagari script

न्यमन्त्रयत संतुष्टो द्विजश्नैनं वरैस्त्रिभि:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | nyamantrayata santuṣṭo dvijaś cainaṃ varais tribhiḥ | vipravara dattatreyas tasya parama-santuṣṭo bhūtvā trīn varān vṛṇīṣveti tam ājñāpayām āsa | tena varān vṛṇīṣveti prokte rājovāca—“bhagavan, yuddhe tu sahasra-bhujaḥ syām, gṛhe tu me dve eva bāhū bhavataḥ | raṇabhūmau sarve sainikā mama sahasra-bhujatvaṃ paśyantu | kaṭhora-vrata-pālaka gurudeva, ahaṃ sva-parākramena samastāṃ pṛthivīṃ jayeyam | evaṃ dharmeṇa pṛthivīṃ prāpya nirālasyas tasyāḥ pālanaṃ kuryām | dvijaśreṣṭha, etebhyo varatrayād api caturthaṃ varam ahaṃ tvatto yāce | anindya maharṣe, mayi kṛpārthaṃ tam api varam avasyaṃ prayaccha | ahaṃ tava śaraṇāgata-bhaktaḥ | yadi kadācit ahaṃ sanmārgaṃ parityajya asanmārgaṃ samāśraye, tadā satpuruṣā māṃ mārge sthāpayituṃ śikṣāṃ dadeyuḥ””

Translation

毗湿摩说道：婆罗门见他可喜，便请他自择三种恩赐。婆罗门中最尊的达多特利耶大为满意，准他开口求愿。国王奉命选择时答道：“世尊，愿我在战阵之中具千臂，而在家中仍唯二臂。愿战场上诸军士皆得目睹我之千臂。噢持严誓之师，愿我凭自身勇力征服全地。既依达摩而得此地，愿我勤勉治理，不生懈怠。噢最胜婆罗门，除这三愿之外，我还求第四愿。噢无瑕的大圣仙，愿汝以慈悲亦赐此愿。我乃归依之 भक्त：若我有时舍正道而趋邪径，愿高贵之人训诲我，使我回归正路。”

Word by Word

• न्यमन्त्रयत्: invited/commanded (to ask)
• न्यमन्त्रयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संतुष्टः: satisfied
• संतुष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संतुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजः: the Brahmin
• द्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वरैः: with boons
• वरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Dattatreya
• the king (unnamed in the given excerpt)
• brahmins (dvija/vipra)
• soldiers (sainikāḥ)
• earth/kingdom (pṛthivī)
• battlefield (raṇabhūmi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power and victory are sought only under the governance of dharma: the king asks not merely for martial might and sovereignty, but also for diligent, righteous rule and—most importantly—corrective guidance from the wise if he ever strays from the true path.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dattatreya, pleased with the king, allows him to ask for three boons. The king requests extraordinary battle power (a thousand arms visible in war), success in conquering the earth, and the ability to rule it energetically according to dharma; he then adds a fourth request—that noble people should admonish and guide him back if he ever turns away from the right path.