Shloka 6
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
Devanagari script
तस्मै विनिश्चितार्थाय परिपृष्टो<र्थनिश्चयम् । उवाच ब्राह्मणो वाक्यमिदं हेतुमदुत्तमम्
Transliteration
tasmai viniścitārthāya paripṛṣṭo ’rthanścayam | uvāca brāhmaṇo vākyam idaṃ hetumad uttamam ||
Translation
国王志向已定，欲求明断当行之事，遂向他发问。婆罗门便以此等至善之言作答，辞理充足，陈明果决之行道。
Word by Word
{'tasmai''to him
{'tasmai':
for that person (dative singular)', 'viniścitārthāya''to one whose aim/meaning is firmly determined
for that person (dative singular)', 'viniścitārthāya':
to one of settled purpose', 'paripṛṣṭaḥ''having been asked
to one of settled purpose', 'paripṛṣṭaḥ':
when questioned closely', 'artha-niścayam (’rthanścayam)''a determination/decision regarding the matter
when questioned closely', 'artha-niścayam (’rthanścayam)':
decisive conclusion about the issue at hand', 'uvāca''said
decisive conclusion about the issue at hand', 'uvāca':
spoke', 'brāhmaṇaḥ''the Brahmin (a learned priest/sage figure)', 'vākyam': 'speech
spoke', 'brāhmaṇaḥ':
utterance', 'idam''this', 'hetumat': 'endowed with reasons
utterance', 'idam':
supported by arguments', 'uttamam''excellent
supported by arguments', 'uttamam':
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
Bhishma (speaker)A
a king (rājā, unnamed in the verse)A
a Brahmin (brāhmaṇaḥ, unnamed in the verse)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Educational Q&A
A ruler should seek and accept counsel that is hetumat—grounded in clear reasoning—and aimed at artha-niścaya, a definite conclusion about right action, rather than acting from impulse or uncertainty.
Bhishma narrates a scene where a king, wanting a firm decision about his duty, questions a Brahmin; the Brahmin then begins an excellent, well-reasoned reply that will guide the king’s course of action.