Shloka 5

Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances

Devanagari script

संस्मृत्य पूर्व भूतिं च निर्वेदं परमं गत: । न भक्षयति मांसानि परैरुपहृतान्यपि

Transliteration

saṁsmṛtya pūrva-bhūtiṁ ca nirvedaṁ paramaṁ gataḥ | na bhakṣayati māṁsāni parair upahṛtāny api ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：忆起前世的荣华，那豺生起极深的厌离与悔恨。因此，即便他人送来奉上的肉，它也不肯食用。

Word by Word

• संस्मृत्य: having remembered
• संस्मृत्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+स्मृ
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), कर्तरि, absolutive (gerund)

• पूर्व: former/previous
• पूर्व: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भूतिम्: prosperity, splendor
• भूतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• निर्वेदम्: disgust, dispassion
• निर्वेदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परमम्: supreme, highest
• परमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गतः: having attained / having gone to
• गतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• भक्षयति: eats, devours
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष्
• Form: लट्, present, 3rd, Singular, परस्मैपद

• मांसानि: meats/flesh pieces
• मांसानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• परैः: by others
• परैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• उपहृतानि: brought/offered
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+हृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• jackal
• meat

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True ethical change begins with inner awakening: remembering the impermanence of past prosperity can produce nirveda (deep disenchantment), leading to restraint and refusal to participate—directly or indirectly—in harmful indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s discourse, a jackal recalls his former state of prosperity; this memory triggers profound remorse and detachment, and as a result he stops eating meat even when others bring it to him.