Shloka 16

Cyavana’s Yogic Display and Kuśika’s Recognition of Tapas (च्यवन-योगप्रभावः कुशिकस्य तपःप्रशंसा च)

Devanagari script

तोषयिष्याम्यहं क्षिप्रं यथा तुष्टो भविष्यति

Transliteration

toṣayiṣyāmy ahaṃ kṣipraṃ yathā tuṣṭo bhaviṣyati | rājan ye munayaḥ kathaṃ santuṣyanti—etad ahaṃ jānāmi | aham etān śīghraṃ santuṣṭān kariṣyāmi | nāhaṃ kadācit hāsyaparīhāse 'pi mṛṣā avadam; kathaṃ punar īdṛśe kāle 'nṛtaṃ vadiṣyāmi? | yat tvāṃ bravīmi tat tvayā niḥśaṅkena kartavyam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“我将迅速使他们满足，使其心生欢喜。大王啊，我知道如何令这些圣仙称心；我很快便能使他们安然满意。我从未在戏谑玩笑中说过虚言——在此等关头，又怎会吐露不实？凡我所言，愿王无疑而行。”

Word by Word

• तोषयिष्यामि: I will satisfy/please
• तोषयिष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: तोषय् (√तुष् caus.)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), 1, singular, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र

• यथा: so that/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• तुष्टः: satisfied/pleased
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (ppp of √तुष्)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भविष्यति: will be/become
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: लृट् (simple future), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the King (Yudhishthira)
• munis (sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds satya (truthfulness) as a foundational ethical vow: one who has not lied even in jest should not speak untruth in serious matters. It also stresses trust in righteous counsel—when guidance is grounded in integrity, it should be followed without suspicion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, instructing the king, assures him that he knows the proper way to satisfy certain sages and will do so promptly. To secure the king’s confidence, he cites his lifelong commitment to truth and asks the king to carry out his instructions without doubt.