Shloka 14

Chapter 85: Suvarṇasya Janma ca Pradāna-Phalam

The Origin of Gold and the Merit of Gifting

Devanagari script

सत्यं च लोकवादो<यं लोके चरति सुव्रता: । स्वयं प्राप्ते परिभवों भवतीति विनिशक्ष॒य:

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: satyaṃ ca lokavādo ’yaṃ loke carati suvratāḥ | svayaṃ prāpte paribhavo bhavatīti viniścayaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“世间流传的这句俗语确实不虚，诸位持守上妙誓戒的牛啊：‘不请自到他人家中者，必遭轻慢’——此乃定论。”

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth; true (it is true)
• सत्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• लोकवादः: popular saying; common report
• लोकवादः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकवाद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• चरति: goes about; is current
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सुव्रताः: O you of good vows/observances
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुव्रत
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Plural

• स्वयम्: of oneself; uninvited/by oneself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• प्राप्ते: when (one has) come/arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• परिभवः: disrespect; humiliation
• परिभवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिभव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवति: happens; occurs; is
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus; '...'
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• विनिश्चयः: certainty; definite conclusion
• विनिश्चयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• cows (gauḥ, addressed as suvratāḥ)
• the world/people (loka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should observe social propriety: going uninvited to someone’s home commonly results in slight or disrespect; therefore restraint and respect for boundaries are part of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses a group of cows described as ‘of excellent vows,’ affirming a well-known worldly maxim and using it to frame guidance on proper conduct and the consequences of disregarding social norms.