Shloka 15

Gratitude, Discernment, and the Escalation of Power (Śvā–Dvipī–Vyāghra–Nāga–Siṃha–Śarabha Itihāsa)

Devanagari script

स मुनिस्तस्य विज्ञाय भावज्ञों भयकारणम्‌ | रुतज्ञ: सर्वसत्त्वानां तमैश्वर्यसमन्वित:

Transliteration

sa munis tasya vijñāya bhāvajño bhayakāraṇam | rutajñaḥ sarvasattvānāṃ tam aiśvaryasamanvitaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：那位牟尼洞察了那狗恐惧的缘由——他能知众生内心之情状，又能听懂一切有情的声音与言语——并具足苦行之威力；他辨明使其惊惧之事后，便对它开口说道。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• विज्ञाय: having known
• विज्ञाय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Non-finite

• भावज्ञः: knower of (others') feelings
• भावज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाव-ज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भयकारणम्: cause of fear
• भयकारणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय-कारण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रुतज्ञः: knower of sounds/speech
• रुतज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुत-ज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वसत्त्वानाम्: of all beings
• सर्वसत्त्वानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-सत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ऐश्वर्यसमन्वितः: endowed with lordly power/prosperity
• ऐश्वर्यसमन्वितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐश्वर्य-समन्वित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• muni (sage)
• dog

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral authority is shown through empathetic discernment: the sage first understands the cause of fear and the being’s inner state, then responds appropriately—an ethical model of compassion and wise speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

A powerful sage, capable of understanding the feelings and speech of all creatures, recognizes why a dog is afraid and then speaks to it, setting up a compassionate intervention.