Shloka 23
Cavana’s Tests of Kuśika and the Queen (अध्याय ५३: च्यवन–कुशिक-परिक्षा)
Devanagari script
स मुनिस्तत् तदा दृष्टवा मत्स्यानां कदनं कृतम् । बभूव कृपयाविष्टो नि:श्वसंश्व॒ पुन: पुन:
Transliteration
sa munis tat tadā dṛṣṭvā matsyānāṁ kadanaṁ kṛtam | babhūva kṛpayāviṣṭo niḥśvasaṁś ca punaḥ punaḥ ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“圣者见鱼群被斩落毁灭，慈悲充塞其心，屡屡深深叹息。此景昭示：对无谓伤害的道德警觉，以及目睹苦难时怜悯之心的觉醒。”
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मुनिःthe sage
मुनिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तत्that
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)
मत्स्यानाम्of the fishes
मत्स्यानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootमत्स्य
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
कदनम्slaughter, destruction
कदनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकदन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
कृतम्done, made
कृतम्:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular
बभूवbecame
बभूव:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
कृपयाwith compassion
कृपया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootकृपा
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
आविष्टःpossessed/overcome (by)
आविष्टः:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-विश्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
निःश्वसन्sighing, breathing out
निःश्वसन्:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-श्वस्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
पुनःagain (repeatedly)
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaM
muni (a sage)M
matsya (fish)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Witnessing suffering should awaken compassion; dharma is not only rule-following but also a cultivated sensitivity that recoils from needless violence and responds with mercy.
A sage observes that many fish have been killed (a slaughter/destruction has occurred). Seeing this, he is moved by pity and repeatedly sighs, signaling grief and empathetic distress.