Shloka 101

Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)

Devanagari script

एतां बुद्धिं समास्थाय जीवितव्यं सदा भवेत्‌ | जीवन पुण्यमवाप्रोति पुरुषो भद्रमश्लुते

Transliteration

etāṁ buddhiṁ samāsthāya jīvitavyaṁ sadā bhavet | jīvan puṇyam avāpnoti puruṣo bhadram aśnute ||

Translation

当执持此智，当恒常努力保全生命。因为唯有活着的人，方得行诸功德之机缘，并由此分受安乐与吉祥之善果。

Word by Word

• एताम्: this (her/this)
• एताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• बुद्धिम्: understanding, resolve, counsel
• बुद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• समास्थाय: having adopted, having taken refuge in
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having resorted to / having adopted

• जीवितव्यम्: one should live; it is to be lived
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव्
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive), Neuter, Nominative, Singular, impersonal obligation

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• भवेत्: should be / should become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Optative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जीवन्: living (one), while living
• जीवन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुण्यम्: merit, virtue
• पुण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्नोति: obtains, attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप्
• Form: Lat (present indicative), Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पुरुषः: man, person
• पुरुषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भद्रम्: welfare, good fortune, auspicious good
• भद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अश्नुते: enjoys, attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: Lat (present indicative), Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should adopt a wise, steady resolve to sustain life, because life provides the continuing chance to practice dharma and accumulate puṇya, leading to one’s welfare (bhadra).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is advising Yudhiṣṭhira on ethical living; here he emphasizes the practical dharmic principle that preserving life enables ongoing righteous action and the attainment of auspicious good.