Shloka 9
Vetasa-Nīti: The Reed and the Flood (वेतस-नीति)
Devanagari script
वेतसो वेगमायातं दृष्टवा नमति नापरे | सरिद्वेगेडव्यतिक्रान्ते स्थानमासाद्य तिष्ठति
Transliteration
vetaso vegam āyātaṃ dṛṣṭvā namati nāpare | sarid-vege ’py atikrānte sthānam āsādya tiṣṭhati ||
Translation
萨伽罗说道：“芦苇见河流奔涌之势将至，便俯身而折；他树不然。故当水势既过，它复归其位，再度挺立。”
Word by Word
वेतसःthe cane/reed (tree)
वेतसः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवेतस
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वेगम्rush, force
वेगम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवेग
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आयातम्come/arrived
आयातम्:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-या
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive)
नमतिbends
नमति:
TypeVerb
Rootनम्
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
अपरेothers (other trees)
अपरे:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअपर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सरित्-वेगेin the river’s current
सरित्-वेगे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसरित् + वेग
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
व्यतिक्रान्तेwhen (it is) passed/over
व्यतिक्रान्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-अति-क्रम्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Locative, Singular
स्थानम्place, position
स्थानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootस्थान
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आसाद्यhaving reached/attained
आसाद्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-सद्
Formल्यप् (absolutive)
तिष्ठतिstands, remains
तिष्ठति:
TypeVerb
Rootस्था
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
Speaker
सागर उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SāgaraV
vetasa (reed)S
sarid (river/current)O
other trees (apare)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
Flexibility in adversity is a form of strength: by yielding when an overwhelming force arrives, one avoids ruin and can return to one’s rightful position once the danger passes.
Sāgara illustrates a moral point with a natural image: the reed bends before the river’s surge while rigid trees resist; after the current subsides, the reed rises and stands again in its place.