Shloka 18

Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ

Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra

Devanagari script

अन्येडपि बहवो वृक्षा: पत्रसंच्छन्नकोटरा: । शुभा: पर्याप्तसंचारा विद्यन्तेडस्मिन्‌ महावने

Transliteration

anye 'pi bahavo vṛkṣāḥ patra-saṁchanna-koṭarāḥ | śubhāḥ paryāpta-saṁcārā vidyante 'smin mahāvane ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“在这大森林中，还有许多别的树木，树洞被浓密的枝叶遮蔽。它们秀美可依，亦有充足之处供群鸟往来栖居。”

Word by Word

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वृक्षाः: trees
• वृक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पत्र-संच्छन्न-कोटराः: having hollows covered with leaves
• पत्र-संच्छन्न-कोटराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शुभाः: beautiful/auspicious
• शुभाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पर्याप्त-संचाराः: having sufficient space for movement
• पर्याप्त-संचाराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संचार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विद्यन्ते: are found/exist
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• महावने: in the great forest
• महावने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• mahāvana (great forest)
• vṛkṣāḥ (trees)
• pakṣiṇaḥ (birds, implied by saṁcāra context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily offers descriptive narration, highlighting how a well-formed natural habitat—beautiful trees with sheltered hollows and ample space—supports living beings (birds). In ethical context, it subtly reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring appreciation of environments that sustain life and provide refuge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues a description of a great forest, noting that many trees there have hollows hidden by thick foliage and that these trees are attractive and suitable for birds to move about and reside.