Shloka 9

अलोभोपाख्यानम् — शुनःसख-यातुधानी-संवादः

The Allegory of Non-Greed: Śunaḥsakha and the Yātudhānī

Devanagari script

इति तेषां वच: श्रुत्वा स्वयम्भूरिदमब्रवीत्‌ । एष मे पार्श्चतो वद्लिययुष्मच्छेयो&भिधास्यति

Transliteration

iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā svayambhūr idam abravīt | eṣa me pārśvato vahniḥ yuṣmac-chreyo 'bhidhāsyati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：自生者（梵天）听罢祖灵之言，便说道：“诸天啊，我身旁这位是火神阿耆尼（Agni）。他将向你们宣示真正关乎你们福祉之事。”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active, non-finite

• स्वयम्भूः: Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भूः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd, singular, active

• एषः: this (one), he
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• मे: my, of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: genitive, singular

• पार्श्वतः: at the side, nearby
• पार्श्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पार्श्व

• वर्तते: is present, stands
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: present (laṭ), 3rd, singular, ātmanepada

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• युष्मत्: of you (all)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: genitive, plural

• श्रेयः: welfare, good
• श्रेयः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अभिधास्यति: will tell, will declare
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा
• Form: simple future (lṛṭ), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Agni (Vahni)
• Pitṛs (forefathers)
• Devas (gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True welfare (śreyas) is best learned by listening to rightful authority and competent guides; Brahmā directs the gods to Agni as a reliable speaker of what benefits them, emphasizing disciplined receptivity to wise counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the Pitṛs’ statement, Brahmā responds and points to Agni standing beside him, instructing the gods that Agni will explain what is beneficial for them.