Shloka 8

Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma

Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics

Devanagari script

ऋद्धिमस्यानु तप्यन्ते पुरा विप्रकृता नरा: । शालावृका इवाजसंं जिघांसुमेव विन्दति

Transliteration

ṛddhim asyānu tapyante purā viprakṛtā narāḥ | śālāvṛkā ivājaśaṁ jighāṁsum eva vindati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：那些从前被轻蔑、被亏待的人，见此王的富贵日益增长，便因嫉妒而心火灼燃。然而他们仍怀欺诈之意，反去投靠同一位君王并侍奉他——正如群犬仍守在一个嗜杀的贱民旁，纵然那人一心要杀它们。

Word by Word

• ऋद्धिम्: prosperity, increase
• ऋद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अस्य: of this (man/king)
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अनु: after, following; (with tap) intensely/continuously
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु

• तप्यन्ते: they burn, are tormented (with envy)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• पुरा: formerly, earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• विप्रकृताः: wronged, insulted, ill-treated
• विप्रकृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विप्रकृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नराः: men, people
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शालावृकाः: jackals (lit. 'house-wolves')
• शालावृकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालावृक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अजसम्: a goat (as prey) / goat-like victim
• अजसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जिघांसुम्: wishing to kill, intent on slaying
• जिघांसुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिघांसु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• विन्दति: finds, obtains, meets with
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a king (rājā, implied)
• envious men formerly insulted (narāḥ viprakṛtāḥ)
• dogs (śālāvṛkāḥ)
• outcaste/low person (ajaśa/caṇḍāla-like figure, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma warns that envy can coexist with outward service: people who resent a ruler’s rising fortune may still cling to him for advantage, masking hostility with feigned loyalty. A king should discern motives and not mistake proximity or service for genuine goodwill.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on governance and conduct, he describes a pattern at court: those previously humiliated become jealous of the king’s growing prosperity, yet they still approach and serve him deceitfully—likened to dogs staying with a killer—highlighting the danger of treacherous dependents.