Shloka 27

सभा पर्व, अध्याय ३७ — युधिष्ठिरस्य भीष्मोपदेशः

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Consultation and Bhīṣma’s Counsel in the Assembly

Devanagari script

अयुक्तामात्मन: पूजां त्वं पुनर्बहु मन्‍्यसे । हविष: प्राप्य निष्यन्दं प्राशिता श्वेव निर्जने,जैसे कुत्ता एकान्तमें चूकर गिरे हुए थोड़े-से हविष्य (घृत)-को चाट ले और अपनेको धन्य धन्य मानने लगे, उसी प्रकार तुम अपने लिये अयोग्य पूजा स्वीकार करके अपने- आपको बहुत बड़ा मान रहे हो

Transliteration

ayuktām ātmanaḥ pūjāṁ tvaṁ punar bahu manyase | haviṣaḥ prāpya niṣyandaṁ prāśitā śveva nirjane ||

Translation

尸输婆罗说道：“你因受了不相称的礼敬，便自视过高。好比一条狗在荒僻处舔食祭供（havis）中滴落的一点酥油（ghee），便自以为得了大福；你亦如此，受了不配之荣，便膨胀于自大。”

Word by Word

अयुक्ताम्unfit, undeserved

आत्मनःof yourself

पूजाम्honour, worship

त्वम्you

पुनःagain, moreover

बहुmuch, greatly

मन्यसेyou think, you consider

हविषःfrom the oblation (ghee, sacrificial offering)

प्राप्यhaving obtained, after getting

निष्यन्दम्a small trickle/dripping (residue)

प्राशिताeaten, licked up

श्वाa dog

इवlike, as

निर्जनेin a lonely place

Speaker

शिशुपाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śiśupāla

you (addressed opponent, i.e., the recipient of worship)

havis (sacrificial ghee/oblation)

dog (śvā)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse condemns inflated pride based on unearned honor: accepting (or boasting over) worship that is not truly merited is ethically hollow and leads to arrogance.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the royal assembly context, Śiśupāla attacks the recipient of special honor, mocking him with a harsh simile—like a dog licking a small spill of sacrificial ghee and thinking itself blessed—thereby escalating the public dispute.